Toxic gas leak kills 8 at Bangladesh ship-breaking yard

At least eight workers perished in a toxic gas leak at a ship-breaking yard in Chattogram, Bangladesh, officials announced on Friday. The disaster unfolded at the Ferdaus Steel Shipbreaking Yard in the Sitakund subdistrict, a hub for numerous ship-breaking facilities where vessels from around the globe are dismantled.

Immediately following the incident, many workers fell into a comatose state and were swiftly transported to Chattogram Medical College Hospital. Of the seven individuals brought to the hospital, six were pronounced dead, according to Dr. Istiaq Rahman of the emergency department. Both physical injuries and gas inhalation were observed in the deceased, he reported.

Further investigation revealed that two additional workers' bodies were discovered at the yard. A local resident recounted hearing individuals scream inside the factory shortly after the accident, and observed victims being carried to hospitals in private vehicles. He claimed that residents grew agitated upon rumors of numerous bodies at the scene, leading to vandalism of the factory premises. Police swiftly intervened to restore order.

Sitakund ship breaking yard holds the distinction of being one of the world's largest ship dismantling sites, sprawling over approximately 20 kilometers of coastline along the Bay of Bengal. The practice of ship-breaking in Bangladesh has long been met with criticism from the international community due to its hazardous and environmentally detrimental methods.