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At least 10 people, including six members of a family, were killed in a fire that gutted a seaside resort in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar district on Saturday. The resort had no fire-safety licence and had been warned after an inspection in June, officials said.
The blaze broke out at Tuptup Resto and Resort in Ukhiya around 7.25 am local time, destroying the three-storey structure built mainly of bamboo and wood.
Nine injured people were taken to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital, bdnews24 reported. Five remain under treatment with burns covering about 5 per cent of their bodies, while four have been discharged.
MAN ESCAPES, SIX FAMILY MEMBERS KILLED
Ashiqul Islam, who was holidaying at the resort with his family, survived by jumping from the second floor, Prothom Alo reported. His wife, Israt Jahan Maliha, and five other family members died, the newspaper said, citing his brother.
The six have been identified as Maliha, 30; Milita Mehezabien Alvi, 23; Laila Jahan Nabila, 27; Nafista Meem, 27; Fariha Kabir, 33; and five-year-old Faizan Ahmed. The other four victims have yet to be identified.
The Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters confirmed the recovery of 10 bodies, The Daily Star reported.
RESORT HAD BEEN WARNED OVER FIRE SAFETY
Fire Service and Civil Defence Director Sultanul Afreen Junaid said the resort lacked a fire-safety licence and had been warned following a June inspection, according to local media reports.
Around 30 people were reportedly at the resort when the fire broke out. The Dhaka Tribune reported that four or five escaped, but the whereabouts and condition of the others were unclear.
Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner A Mannan said the cause was under investigation. While some suspected the fire began in the kitchen, he said this could be established only after the probe was completed.
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