At least three workers were killed and several others injured after toxic gas leaked from a tank at Ferdous Steel Shipbreaking Yard in Sitakunda, Chattogram, this morning (14 August).
Ferdous Wahid, managing director of Ferdous Steel, told The Business Standard that the incident occurred while workers were carrying out housekeeping work aboard a vessel at the yard.
He said the yard’s safety team first detected gas leaking from a tank. Several members of the team then went to inspect the leak, during which some workers were injured.
“The injured workers were taken to hospital. We have so far learned that three workers have died,” Ferdous Wahid said.
He could not immediately confirm the exact number of injured workers, adding that the death toll could rise.
Mahbubul Hasan, deputy inspector general of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE), confirmed the incident to TBS.
“We have received information that 10 workers were injured. We have confirmed the death of one worker, but we are yet to learn the latest condition of the others,” he said.
Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the gas leak and whether adequate safety measures were in place at the shipbreaking yard.
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