At least 10 people were killed, and nine others were injured in a huge fire that erupted at a seaside resort in Cox’s Bazar district of south-eastern Bangladesh this morning. The blaze engulfed TUPTUP Resto and Resort in the Inani area and was close to Patuartek Beach along Marine Drive, where the building was extensively damaged.
Emergency workers rushed to the scene, but the fire had spread through the entire structure. The deaths came a few hours after the fire in which people were left wounded, officials said. The cause of the fire is not clear yet, but authorities are investigating how the fire started and whether there may have been any safety issues in the chain of events that contributed to the disaster.
According to Mohammad Atikur Rahman Majumder, Chief of Ukhiya Police Station, the fire broke out about 6:30 am on Saturday. It is a three-storey structure constructed mainly of bamboo and wood. It is situated around 29 kilometres from Kolatoli, north of the main beach town of Cox's Bazar, in the vicinity of the popular beach town.
The resort's construction materials could be responsible for the rapid spread of the fire, though investigators have not so far identified the cause of the fire. The fire has raised alarms about the safety of tourist accommodation facilities such as hotels that use combustible materials.
The death toll of 10 was confirmed at 1:30 pm when the fire started, said Talha Bin Zasim, a fire service spokesman. Syed Muhammad Morshed Hossain, deputy assistant director of Cox’s Bazar Fire Service, said the fire had gutted the whole structure. About 30 people were believed to have been inside the resort when the fire started, the newspaper said.
Four to five people managed to escape, and questions remain about the location and condition of others who might have been in the building. The entire sequence of events inside the building, including how occupants tried to escape and whether all of them have been accounted for, requires further clarification from authorities.
The nine injured people were taken to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital for treatment. Sabuktagin Mahmud Sohel, the hospital’s resident medical officer, said five patients had burns covering about five per cent of their bodies. All five burn victims were admitted to the hospital for treatment.
Another person suffered injuries after falling and was discharged after first aid. There was no information on the condition of the other injured persons available from officials. An additional difficulty is the challenge of fleeing quickly from a burning building as fire spreads through multiple floors in a building that already had many people inside.
Tragic Fire in Cox’s Bazar! A devastating fire at Top Top Resort on Marine Drive reportedly claimed seven lives, with several others missing. Rescue efforts and investigations continue. Heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families. #Bangladesh #CoxsBazar #BreakingNews https://t.co/xJxPpYMxFu
— lamiah (@lamiah02022002) October 17, 2026
Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner A Mannan said six bodies had been recovered at the time of his statement. DNA samples will be taken from the deceased before their bodies are handed over to their families to help identify them if possible. The six bodies that were reported as being recovered at that point and the later confirmed death toll of 10 highlights the significance of waiting for updated official information when rescue and identification is complete. Police and emergency officials will be trying to establish the identities of the deceased and inform family members as the investigation continues. The next step is to determine what happened and when.
The cause of the fire is still unknown. Deputy Commissioner Mannan said the Fire Service was investigating the incident and some people had thought the fire might have started in the resort’s kitchen. But that is not yet a confirmed fact. Investigators will have to determine where and how it spread through the three-storey building and whether there were sufficient fire prevention and emergency escape arrangements. The building’s materials, electrical systems, and fire safety equipment could also be investigated, but there has been no official conclusion on these points, nor has any information been made available.
The deadly incident has raised concerns about safety standards in tourist accommodation, particularly in popular coastal destinations that receive tourists throughout the year. Resorts and hotels need to have fire prevention measures in place, safe exits, and emergency procedures that enable guests and staff to leave a building quickly.
If bamboo and wood are used in a building without additional fire protection, there is an increased risk. The resort’s construction and safety measures in Saturday’s incident will only be made clear once the authorities determine the cause of the fire. For now, the priority is to help the injured, identify the deceased, establish whether anyone is still missing, and determine the cause of the fire. The investigation into the Cox’s Bazar resort fire is expected to provide further answers about the circumstances that led to the loss of at least 10 lives.
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