Eight Workers Die From Toxic Gas Exposure at Sitakunda Shipbreaking Yard
Photo Collected
Eight workers were killed on Friday after inhaling toxic gas while dismantling a scrap ship at a breaking yard in Sitakunda, Chittagong. The incident occurred at Ferdous Steel, located in the Station Road area of Bhatiary Union, where employees were working on a vessel previously used to transport liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The victims have been identified as Sani Jaldas, Palash Jaldas, Habibur Rahman, Mansur Ali, and Nasir Uddin, all residents of the Bhatiary area. Among them, Mansur Ali and Nasir Uddin were brothers. Identification of the remaining three deceased is ongoing.
Witnesses reported that the accident began around 8:30 a.m. while workers were cutting into a tank inside the ship’s hull. According to Shuvo Jaldas, a worker who was present, two laborers lost consciousness shortly after a foreman and his crew cut an opening in the tank. When colleagues attempted to rescue them, they also collapsed, along with a safety officer who had entered the area wearing a mask.
Surviving workers alleged that the death toll was exacerbated by a lack of emergency preparedness. Several employees claimed that despite some victims being retrieved alive, the factory lacked necessary medical equipment, including oxygen cylinders, ambulances, or on-site medical staff, resulting in fatal delays before they could be transported to a hospital.
Taufiqul Islam, Assistant Director of the Chittagong Fire Service, confirmed that his team arrived at 10:50 a.m. following an emergency call. He suggested that the tragedy likely occurred because the vessel was not properly cleared of toxic gases, such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, or fluorine, before work began. He noted that the facility’s safety measures appeared inadequate.
S.M. Sakhawat Hossain, an inspector from the Department of Explosives, stated that authorities are investigating the site to determine the precise chemical cause of the toxic environment. He noted that while explosive inspectors usually verify the status of main cargo tanks, smaller chambers containing ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and other hazardous gases may have been overlooked.
Local authorities have escalated the investigation, with Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md. Fakhrul Islam confirming that an expert team from the military has been requested to assist in determining the nature of the lethal gas.
Mohiuddin, a representative for the factory’s ownership, stated that the incident occurred while the safety department was inspecting the facility, as the yard is officially closed on Fridays. He pledged that the factory would provide compensation to the victims’ families in accordance with national labor laws.
Officials from the Department of Environment and the Department of Explosives have initiated formal probes, promising legal action against any parties found negligent in enforcing safety protocols for ship recycling.
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