Seven workers have been reported dead after a toxic gas leak at a ship recycling yard in Bangladesh.
The accident occurred on Friday morning at Ferdous Steel Ship Recycling Industries in Bhatiyari, Sitakunda, a facility authorised under the IMO’s Hong Kong Convention on ship recycling.
Local news agency UNB reported that two workers died at the yard and another five subsequently died at Chattogram Medical College Hospital. Several more workers were taken ill.
Initial reports described an explosion, but Chattogram police said the casualties were caused by toxic gas escaping from a tank aboard a vessel being dismantled.
The vessel has been identified locally as an LNG carrier nearing the end of the dismantling process. Yard officials said liquid waste had been discovered in part of the ship before a safety officer and other workers went to inspect the area.
Bangladesh’s Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments has launched an investigation into the cause of the leak and whether adequate safety measures were in place.
Ferdous Steel’s authorisation from the Bangladesh Ship Recycling Board under the Hong Kong Convention runs until October 2030. The convention, which entered into force in June last year, introduced mandatory global requirements covering safety and environmental standards at ship recycling facilities.
The yard is part of the Ziri Subedar Group, which has suffered a number of serious accidents at its Sitakunda recycling operations over the years.
Source: https://splash247.com/seven-die-in-toxic-gas-leak-at-bangladesh-shipbreaking-yard/
