Tup Tup Restaurant and Resort, located in the Patuartek beach area along Marine Drive in Inani, Ukhia, Cox’s Bazar, did not have a fire safety licence, Fire Service and Civil Defence Director General Brigadier General Sultanul Afrin Junaid said on Saturday afternoon.
The death toll from the fire at the resort has risen to 10. Preliminary information indicates that all the victims were tourists visiting the area.
The six victims initially identified were Israt Jahan Maliha, 30, and Milita Mehejabin Alvi, 23, from Banasree, Dhaka; Laila Jahan Nabila, 27, and Nafista Mim, 27, from Khilgaon, Dhaka; and Fariha Kabir, 33, and Fayizan Ahmed, 5, from Chuadanga.
Those injured in the incident were initially taken to Ukhia Upazila Health Complex before being transferred to Cox’s Bazar District Sadar Hospital, according to the hospital’s emergency department.
Around 30 people were reportedly at the resort when the fire broke out. Four to five people managed to escape, but the whereabouts and condition of the others remain unconfirmed.
According to the Fire Service, it received a report of the fire at 7:25am. The resort is about 18km from the fire station, and firefighters arrived at the scene at 8am.
Two units from Ukhia Fire Station brought the blaze under control by 8:15am. Six bodies were initially recovered from the site, while four other victims later died.
