10 people died in a massive fire at a resort in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh on Saturday morning. The dead include six members of the same family. According to preliminary information, there is a possibility of short circuit.
Dhaka: A massive fire broke out in a resort located near the beach in Cox's Bazar district of Bangladesh, causing a major accident. At least 10 people died in this accident that occurred on Saturday morning. Six members of the same family are said to be among the dead. The fire spread so fast that the three-storey building made of wood and bamboo was completely burnt to ashes. There are also reports of many other people being injured in the accident.
The incident took place at Tuptup Resto and Resort, located on the outskirts of Kolatoli, a popular seaside tourist area in Cox's Bazar. According to initial information, the fire broke out around 7:25 am. Firefighters reached the spot around 8 a.m. and began extinguishing the fire. The fire was brought under control by around 11 o'clock.
After the accident, questions are being raised regarding the security arrangements and fire fighting approvals of the resort. According to available information, the resort did not have the necessary fire safety clearance. The officials had also warned in this regard during the inspection in June. However, the cause of the fire and responsibility for possible safety negligence will be clear only after the investigation is completed.
Fire broke out at 7:25 am, three-storey building destroyed
According to initial reports, the fire broke out at the resort on Saturday morning and within a short time the flames spread throughout the building. Due to the structure made of wood and bamboo, the fire is expected to spread rapidly. Due to this, the people present inside the building had difficulty in getting out.
Information has come to light that about 30 people were present in the resort at the time of the fire. According to initial reports, four to five people somehow managed to get out. However, clear information regarding the condition of the remaining people was not immediately available. Firefighters reached the spot and extinguished the fire and also started relief and rescue operations.
After controlling the fire, work was done to identify the dead and gather information about the people affected by the accident. It is also important for the authorities to find out how many people were trapped inside the building and whether adequate exit routes were available.
Danger of fire due to short circuit
Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom Alo reported quoting officials that the fire may have been caused by a short circuit in electrical wires. According to initial information, the fire reached the air conditioner and after this the flames spread rapidly due to the explosion in the gas cylinder.
However, information related to short circuit and explosion in gas cylinder is still part of the preliminary investigation. The actual cause of the fire can be confirmed only on the basis of technical investigation and evidence collected from the incident site.
Electrical wiring, safe installation of gas appliances, fire extinguishing equipment and emergency exits are extremely important in tourist facilities like resorts. If any of these systems are lacking, it may be difficult to evacuate people safely in case of fire.
This accident has once again underlined the need to follow fire safety rules and regular inspections at tourist places.
The resort was running without fire safety approval
After this incident, serious questions have been raised regarding the fire safety system in the resort. According to available information, Tuptup Resto and Resort did not have the necessary fire safety clearance. Officials had warned about this deficiency during an inspection in June.
Despite this, information has come to light that arrangements for tourists' stay in the resort will continue. Now it will be a matter of investigation as to what action was taken after the concerned alert and whether the management took any steps to rectify the security related deficiencies.
The investigation can also be seen to see whether the resort had adequate fire extinguishing equipment, emergency exits, safe electrical system and necessary arrangements related to the use of gas cylinders.
If violations of safety rules are confirmed, the question of holding the officials concerned and the resort management accountable may arise. However, responsibility of any party must be determined based on the findings of the investigation and applicable regulations.
Saved his life by jumping from the second floor
The case of Ashikul Islam and his family has especially come to light in the accident. According to the report, he had reached the resort to spend holidays with his family. After the fire, he saved his life by jumping from the second floor.
However, his wife Israt Jahan Maliha and five other family members died. The seriousness of the accident can be gauged from the death of several people from the same family. Due to the fire, it became difficult for people trapped inside the building to reach safety.
This is a big shock for the families affected by this incident. Treatment of those injured in the accident and the process related to identification of the dead were also an important part of the relief work.
Women and a five-year-old child were also among the dead.
According to information available quoting hospital officials, the names of the deceased include Israt Jahan Maliha (30), Milita Mehezabeen Alvi (23), Laila Jahan Nabila (27), Nafista Meem (27), Fariha Kabir (33) and five-year-old Faizan Ahmed.
Apart from these, the identity and family relations of other deceased need to be confirmed from the records of the concerned authorities. Information about many people being injured in the accident has also come to light, but the final number of all the affected people and their condition is not yet known.