Fire at Cox's Bazar Hotel: Around 300 Tourists Escape Unhurt
A fire broke out at a residential hotel at Sugandha Point in Cox's Bazar. The blaze started in the parking area beneath the hotel at around 4pm on Friday. Around 300 tourists were staying at the hotel at the time — all of them escaped unhurt.
The hotel is named 'The Sea Princess'. Flames were also seen reaching the hotel's generator room, where firefighters worked to put out the fire.
On receiving the news, a Fire Service unit rushed to the scene. After about half an hour of joint efforts by the Fire Service and the hotel authorities, the situation was brought under control.
There were no casualties in the fire. However, the generator and some parts of the parking area were damaged, it has been learned.
Syed Muhammad Morshed Hossain, deputy assistant director of Cox's Bazar Fire Service and Civil Defence, said a unit from the nearest fire station reached the spot quickly after receiving the news and brought the fire under control.
He added that the fire is initially believed to have started from a short circuit in the generator. However, no one was hurt — which is the main relief.
The hotel's managing director, Abdul, said: 'We have adequate firefighting arrangements. Because of the staff's skill, no major accident happened. The tourists are safe.'
Around three hundred tourists were staying at the hotel when the incident occurred. Although panic spread at the news of the fire, a major disaster was averted as everyone remained safe.
Earlier, on October 17, ten tourists lost their lives in a fire at an accommodation called Tuptup Resort in the Inani area of Ukhiya. With the memory of that incident still fresh, another fire at Sugandha Point has raised fresh questions about fire safety in the tourist area.
Hotels and resorts in Cox's Bazar are crowded with tourists during the season. In this situation, ensuring effective firefighting systems, emergency exits and staff training at every establishment is essential, those concerned believe.
The actual cause of the fire and the full extent of the damage will be known after investigation. For now, the safe escape of 300 tourists is the biggest relief in this incident.
