Sitakunda shipbreaking yard poisoning: Death toll rises to 8

The death toll from the spread of toxic gas from a gas cylinder of a scrap ship at a shipbreaking yard in Bhatiari area of Sitakunda upzila in Chattogram, has risen to eight.

The incident occurred at around 9:00 am today, Friday, at Ferdous Steel, a shipbreaking yard in the Station Road area of Bhatiari Union.

The identities of four of the eight deceased workers were immediately available. They were Sani Jaldas, 22, Palash Jaldas, 27, and brothers Mansur Ali, 40, and Nasir Uddin, 38. All four were residents from Bhatiari.

A local, speaking to Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity, said people suddenly began screaming from inside the factory in the morning. When they went there, they saw several ailing workers being taken to hospital by vehicle. Later, when news spread that several people were lying dead inside the scrap ship, local people became agitated and entered the factory, vandalising it. Police went there and brought the situation under control.

Another local told Prothom Alo that two of their boats were returning from the sea towards the coast after fishing for hilsa. However, they could not approach the coast because of the smell of gas. He said the smell of gas coming from inside the factory was so strong that fishermen returning from the sea could not enter the canal beside the factory. They had to travel at least half a kilometre away to moor their boats.

Mohammad Mohiuddin, a representative of the factory owner, told Prothom Alo over the phone that he was outside the factory. He said he had learned from the factory that six to eight workers had been affected by toxic gas due to negligence. He said he would provide details after going to the factory.

Ishtiaq Rahman, the physician on duty at Chattogram Medical College Hospital, said seven people were brought to the hospital from the factory in two batches. Six of them were brought dead. Their bodies have been kept at the morgue. The other person is receiving treatment.

Meanwhile, two bodies were still at the scene, said Sitakunda police station inspector (Investigation) Mohammad Alamgir.

Taufiqul Islam, assistant director of Fire Service Chattogram, said he went to the scene after receiving a call on the national emergency service number 999 in the morning.

He said the ship being dismantled at Ferdous Steel Ship Recycling Industries had carried LNG. Such ships must be made gas-free before being cut. Some tanks may contain fluorine, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.

The accident occurred because the factory authorities started dismantling the ship without rendering the tanks gas-free, while safety measures for the workers there were very poor, he added.