Cox's Bazar hotel fire sparks panic: 90% of resorts lack safety
An air conditioner fire at an eight-storey hotel in Cox's Bazar sparked panic among holidaymakers, highlighting safety gaps where 90% of local resorts lack fire equipment.
A fire broke out at the eight-storey Cox Ambassador Hotel in the Kolatoli tourist zone of Cox's Bazar on Thursday evening, triggering panic among guests. Holidaymakers fled the building in haste, though emergency services confirmed that no casualties occurred.
Fire officials reported that the blaze began around 6:30 pm in a fifth-floor room due to an electrical short circuit in an air conditioning unit before spreading next door. Two fire service units were dispatched immediately and brought the flames under control within an hour by 7:30 pm.
The incident has intensified concerns over safety standards in Bangladesh's premier seaside resort town. District authorities noted that nearly 90 percent of the 500 hotels and resorts in Cox's Bazar lack adequate fire safety equipment, weeks after 11 tourists died in a resort blaze in nearby Ukhia.
Source: Prothom Alo
