Toxic gas leak kills eight workers at Bangladesh shipbreaking yard

DHAKA, Aug 14: At least eight workers were killed and four others hospitalized after a suspected toxic gas leak at a shipbreaking yard in southeastern Bangladesh on Friday, police and fire officials said.

The incident occurred at the Ferdous Steel shipbreaking yard in Bhatiari, in the Sitakunda area near the port city of Chattogram. Police said the number of people affected could be higher, as local residents rescued others who became ill after exposure to the gas. Four of the eight victims have so far been identified.

Fire officials said the vessel being dismantled had previously been used to transport liquefied natural gas (LNG) and had remained unused for a long period. Carbon monoxide was suspected to have accumulated inside the vessel.

Officials said ships must undergo cleaning and degassing before dismantling, but alleged that the required process had not been carried out at the yard. They warned that skipping the procedure to reduce costs can expose workers to serious safety risks.

Bangladesh has one of the world’s largest shipbreaking industries, with numerous yards concentrated along the Sitakunda coast. Safety conditions at some facilities have long been a concern, while the industry has also faced criticism over environmental contamination from toxic waste and heavy metals.