8 workers die inside ship being dismantled in Sitakunda

Eight workers died after suspected toxic gas exposure inside a ship being dismantled at a shipbreaking yard in Sitakunda’s Bhatiary area today.

Firefighters rescued the workers from the vessel, which was anchored adjacent to Ferdous Steel Shipyard, in the morning.

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“Six people were brought to Chattogram Medical College Hospital following the incident. Five of them were declared dead by doctors, while the injured person was admitted to the hospital,” said Nurul Alam, in-charge of the hospital police outpost.

He said the workers were believed to have died after toxic gas spread inside the vessel.

Another injured worker from the ship was brought in at around 2:30pm, he was pronounced dead on arrival, the police official added.

“A total of eight people have died so far. There were already six bodies at the hospital, two more bodies were at the scene and were being taken to the hospital,” said Sitakunda Police Station Inspector (Investigation) Md Alamgir.

“The bodies were recovered from a ship being dismantled at the yard. Injured workers were also rescued and sent to hospital,” said Mohammad Mamun, senior station officer of the Fire Service and Civil Defence’s Kumira station.

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Family members of the workers have gathered at the hospital.

Mohammad Yusuf, manager of the shipyard, said an LNG carrier was being dismantled and the cutting work was nearing completion.

“Liquid waste was found in a section of the vessel. A safety officer and others went there to inspect it, and the accident occurred,” he said.

Mahmuda Begum, an official of Chattogram Industrial Police, told The Daily Star that police had received information about the incident but had yet to obtain details.

“A team has been sent to the site,” she said.

Mahbub Hasan, deputy inspector general of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE), said the agency had received information that several workers had been taken to hospital.

“We are working to determine the cause of the accident,” he said.

Note: This report has been updated with the latest information at 3:00pm