A fire broke out on Tuesday morning at a residence next to a hotel on Saikatpara Road in the Kolatoli hotel-motel zone, sparking panic among tourists in nearby hotels and resorts.

The blaze began at about 6am. Four Fire Service units were at the scene, assisted by local residents. Syed Muhammad Morshed Hossain, deputy assistant director of the Cox’s Bazar Fire Service and Civil Defence, confirmed the fire and said it was largely under control. The cause and the extent of the damage had not been established.

Witnesses said tourists and residents rushed out of nearby hotels fearing the flames would spread, and gathered on the road.

It is the third fire in the area in under a month. On October 17, a blaze at the Tup Tup Resort in Inani, Ukhia, near Marine Drive, killed 11 tourists. Six days later, on October 23, a fire at Hotel Sea Princess at Sugandha Point was quickly brought under control without major damage.