A massive fire broke out following an explosion at a newly constructed LPG filling station in the Kolatoli area of Cox’s Bazar, leaving at least 16 people injured, with seven in critical condition sent to Chattogram and three in alarming condition transferred to Dhaka for advanced treatment, while others are receiving care locally. The blaze, which began Wednesday evening, was brought under control after nearly five hours of coordinated efforts by the fire service, Red Crescent volunteers, and local residents; however, by then at least 10 nearby houses and 20 to 25 tourist transport jeeps had been damaged, with total losses feared to exceed several crore taka. According to sources, gas leakage reportedly began around 7:00 pm at the newly built N Alam filling station, and after nearly three hours of gas spreading in the surrounding area, a loud explosion occurred around 10:20 pm, instantly igniting a fire and triggering panic across the neighborhood. The fire was fully extinguished only after the approximately 14,000-liter capacity gas storage tank was completely burned out. Residents said the strong smell of gas had made breathing difficult even before the explosion, and once the blast occurred, flames rapidly spread to adjacent structures. Nearly 20,000 people living in nearby residential areas including Adarshagram, Chandrima Housing, and the Jailkhana locality spent the night in fear. Syed Muhammad Morshed, Deputy Assistant Director of the Cox’s Bazar Fire Service and Civil Defence, stated that the filling station reportedly lacked proper authorization and that preliminary findings suggest gas leakage as the primary cause of the explosion, adding that legal action will be taken against the owner. Sabuktageen Mahmud Sohel, Residential Medical Officer at Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital, confirmed that several injured victims are undergoing treatment locally, while critically burned patients have been referred to Dhaka and Chattogram for specialized care. Authorities have deployed law enforcement personnel to maintain order in the area, and a formal investigation has been launched, raising renewed concerns over safety standards and the operation of unauthorized gas facilities in densely populated zones.