Police and an investigation committee suspect that a short circuit in a refrigerator on the ground floor sparked the deadly fire at Tuptup Resort in Cox’s Bazar. A gas cylinder in the kitchen then exploded, compounding the disaster.
Investigators believe the fire spread rapidly because flammable chemicals were stored in a warehouse on the premises. However, the exact cause of the fire has yet to be decisively established. The blaze broke out on the morning of Saturday, 17 October, at the three-storey resort beside Marine Drive, near Patuartek beach in Ukhiya. The bodies of 10 tourists were subsequently recovered from the site.
The resort is located about 28 kilometres south of Cox’s Bazar town. The victims had been staying in eight rooms across the first and second floors, while the ground floor housed a restaurant and staff accommodation.
In the wake of the tragedy, the resort’s owner and primary accused in the case, Md Tanvir Sultan Mia, has gone on the run. A police officer involved in the investigation claimed that Tanvir has currently fled to Indonesia.
Another owner of the resort, Newaz Morshed, along with other key individuals, is also in hiding. So far, only the assistant manager, Zahid Hossain, has been arrested by law enforcement. Police have appealed for a seven-day remand for him, though the formal remand hearing is still pending.
According to relatives of the victims, a total of 21 tourists, including women and children, were staying at the establishment on the night of Friday, 16 October. Among them, Ireen Jahan and Israt Jahan had gone to the beach early on Saturday morning.
