A toxic gas leak at a Bangladesh shipbreaking yard kills at least 8 workers

A suspected gas leak at a shipbreaking yard in southeastern Bangladesh resulted in the deaths of at least eight workers on Friday, according to police. The incident occurred during the dismantling of a decommissioned ship at the Ferdous Steel Ship Breaking Yard in the Sitakunda area. Initially, the death toll was reported to be six, but two additional fatalities were later documented after transport from the scene. The company handling the shipbreaking operations has yet to comment on the matter.

Senior government factory inspection official Mahbubul Hasan revealed that the workers succumbed to toxic gas emissions emanating from the ship. The Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the official news agency, echoed this assessment. Officials are currently conducting an investigation to ascertain the cause of the gas emission and whether appropriate safety measures were implemented for the workers at the yard.

Bangladesh's shipbreaking industry is a colossal global entity, concentrated along a 20-kilometer stretch of the Sitakunda coast in Chattogram. This region houses approximately 150 registered yards, contributing around 36% of the world's ship scrapping activities. The industry generates an annual turnover of $2.46 billion and supplies over half of the nation's scrap steel, employing tens of thousands of workers.

However, environmental activists have long criticized the industry for lacking adequate safety protocols and environmental standards, stating that ships arrive in Bangladesh carrying hazardous waste from the West.