Ten tourists were killed and four others injured in a devastating fire at Tuptup Resto & Resort in the Patuartek area of Inani Beach, Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, after authorities found that the establishment had been operating without a fire safety licence.

Brigadier General Sultanul Afreen Junaid, director general of the Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD), disclosed the violation during a press briefing at the organisation’s headquarters in Gulistan, Dhaka, on Saturday.

According to the FSCD chief, an inspector visited the resort in June and issued a formal warning on June 11, identifying the building as hazardous. However, the resort continued its operations despite the notice.

The director general said the establishment had failed to take appropriate action following the warning and was operating without the required authorisation.

Fire service officials inspecting the scene also reported problems with the resort’s documentation, insufficient fire extinguishers and inadequate firefighting arrangements.

The fire broke out on Saturday morning at the three-storey wooden resort, leaving the structure almost completely destroyed. Fire service officials described the building as having been reduced to charcoal.

According to FSCD headquarters, two firefighting units from the Ukhiya Fire Service station arrived at the scene around 8:00am after receiving information about the blaze at 7:25am. Firefighters brought the fire under control at approximately 11:00am.

Syed Mohammad Morshed Hossain, deputy assistant director of the Cox’s Bazar Fire Service, confirmed the extensive damage caused by the fire.

Four injured people were taken to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital for treatment. Fire service officials said some had sustained burns, while others were injured while attempting to escape the burning building.

Authorities had not immediately established the cause of the fire or confirmed the identities of the deceased.

The incident has raised serious concerns about fire safety compliance and enforcement at tourist accommodation facilities in Cox’s Bazar, a major coastal destination in Bangladesh.