Gas Leak at Bangladesh Shipbreaking Yard Kills Eight Workers

At least eight workers died and five remain missing after a toxic gas leak at a shipbreaking yard in Chittagong, Bangladesh, on August 14. The incident occurred at the Ferdous Steel Shipbreaking Yard and Recycling Factory, which had recently acquired a vessel previously used for transporting liquefied natural gas.

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A committee has been formed to investigate the incident, and the authorities have ordered an audit of the shipbreaking yard.

Witnesses reported hearing screams from within the yard before workers attempted to help the victims. Senior police official Abdul Kuddus Chowdhury confirmed the fatalities and stated that a search for the missing workers is underway. A committee has been formed to investigate the incident, and an audit of the yard has been ordered.

Despite being listed as a "green" and compliant facility, fire service official Towfiqul Islam Bhuiyan suggested that safety procedures may have been neglected. He indicated that the vessel should have been cleared of gas before cutting operations began. "The yard authorities did not follow the instructions. Workers who were exposed to the gas died, while those who were farther away survived," Bhuiyan told AFP.

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The yard authorities did not follow the instructions. Workers who were exposed to the gas died, while those who were farther away survived.

Ferdous Steel Shipbreaking Yard has not yet issued a public statement regarding the incident. Firefighters recovered three bodies at the scene and found several unconscious workers who were subsequently hospitalized. The shipbreaking industry in Bangladesh, concentrated along the Chittagong coast, is one of the world's largest but has long faced scrutiny over safety standards and working conditions. Among the deceased was Palash Jaladas, whose pregnant wife expressed her devastation.

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What shall I do now?