Shipyard Safety Under Scrutiny
Multiple Workers Dead in Sitakunda Shipyard Gas Leak and Explosion, Safety Probes Launched
Key Points
Casualty tallies varied across outlets on the day of the incident, with Jagonews24 reporting three deaths at the scene, while UNB and The Financial Express later cited five or more deaths, indicating casualty figures were still being updated as rescue and hospital assessments progressed.
Past incidents in Sitakunda’s shipbreaking sector underscore safety concerns: last year Ferdous Steel Ship Recycling Industries experienced an oil-tank explosion that burnt eight workers, and in September 2024 SN Corporation Shipbreaking Yard injured 12 workers, with six later dying from leaked gas.
Official investigations are being framed around safety compliance, with DIFE deputy inspector general Mohammad Mahbubul Hasan saying authorities will determine the cause and whether proper safety measures were in place once inspections are carried out.
On-site officials, including Sitakunda Upazila Nirbahi Officer Fakhrul Islam, confirmed they were heading to the scene after reports of multiple casualties, highlighting the scale of the response.
The incidents involved both a blast at Ferdous Shipyard and a toxic gas leak at Ferdous Steel Shipbreaking Yard in Sitakunda’s Bhatiary area, suggesting parallel emergencies at adjacent yards on the same day.
A toxic gas leak at a shipbreaking yard in Sitakunda, Bangladesh has killed at least eight workers and left five others missing, according to AP via Yahoo News. The incident occurred during the dismantling of a decommissioned ship at a yard in the southeastern port city of Chittagong.
Witnesses described workers losing consciousness after being exposed to gas from tanks aboard the vessel, according to 24 News HD. Earlier reports had put the death toll as low as three, but the figure climbed throughout the day as rescue teams reached victims and hospitals updated their assessments.
Gas from Ship Tanks Overcame Workers Without Warning
The deadly leak happened at the Ferdous Steel Shipbreaking Yard in Sitakunda's Bhatiary area. Workers were doing housekeeping or maintenance work aboard a ship when gas escaped from the vessel's tanks. The fumes spread quickly, knocking workers unconscious before they could escape, according to Winnipeg Free Press.
A separate blast was also reported at the nearby Ferdous Shipyard on the same day, suggesting two parallel emergencies struck adjacent yards at once. Around 10 people were injured in total, with several described as being in critical condition. Rescue teams from the Fire Service rushed to the scene to pull victims out, according to LMT Online.
Death Toll Rose All Day as Rescuers Reached Victims
Early reports put the death toll at three. As the day progressed, UNB and The Financial Express cited five or more deaths. By the time international wire services published their reports, the confirmed count had reached at least eight dead, according to AP via Yahoo News. Five workers remained missing as of those reports.
The shifting numbers reflect how chaotic the scene was. Sitakunda Upazila Nirbahi Officer Fakhrul Islam confirmed authorities were heading to the site after reports of multiple casualties. The scale of the response — involving Fire Service crews, local officials, and factory inspectors — underlined how serious the incident was.
Investigators Ask Whether Safety Rules Were Followed
The Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) launched an inquiry into the incident. DIFE deputy inspector general Mohammad Mahbubul Hasan said authorities would determine the cause and check whether proper safety measures were in place once inspections were carried out, according to Winnipeg Free Press.
Ship recycling yards are required to test for toxic gas in tanks before workers enter. Whether that was done at Ferdous Steel on the day of the leak is a central question investigators are trying to answer. Findings from the inspection are expected to shape any accountability measures that follow.
Sitakunda Has a Long Record of Deadly Yard Accidents
This is not the first deadly incident at these yards. Last year, Ferdous Steel Ship Recycling Industries suffered an oil-tank explosion that burned eight workers. In September 2024, a gas leak at SN Corporation Shipbreaking Yard injured 12 workers — six of whom later died, according to AP via Yahoo News.
Sitakunda is home to one of the world's busiest ship recycling industries. Workers break apart massive decommissioned vessels with basic tools, often in dangerous conditions. Rights groups have long warned that the sector cuts corners on safety. The latest deaths add to a grim pattern that investigators and officials have so far failed to stop, according to 24 News HD.
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