Toxic Gas Leak at Sitakunda Shipbreaking Yard Kills 8; Several Critical

The death toll from a toxic gas leak during scrapping operations at Ferdous Steel Shipbreaking Yard in Sitakunda, Chattogram, has risen to eight, with several others reported to be in critical condition.

Emergency responders are currently waiting for the high tide to recede before conducting a final search inside the vessel, as rising seawater flooded the ship's lower compartments. Local residents fear more bodies may still be trapped inside.

The tragic incident occurred on Friday morning (August 14) while workers were performing housekeeping and pipe-cutting work inside a decommissioned Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) tanker.

Senior Station Officer of the Fire Service, Al Mamun, confirmed the casualty figures from the scene, stating that two bodies were recovered at Sitakunda while six bodies are at the Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH), bringing the total fatalities to eight.

Five of the deceased workers have been identified so far: Sanijol Das (22), Palashjol Das (27), Habibur Rahman (50), and two brothers Mansur Ali (40) and Nasir Uddin (38).

Touhidul Islam Bhuiyan, Deputy Director of the Fire Service, detailed the rescue operation: "Our nearest station in Kumira received the call at 10:50 AM. Two units, along with a rescue van and ambulance, dispatched immediately. Rescuers initially recovered three bodies and rescued two injured workers, taking them to the nearby BSBA Hospital. Later, a foreman was rescued in critical condition and rushed to the hospital."

He added that the accident took place nearly two to three hours before emergency services were alerted, and local residents had rescued several victims prior to their arrival.

Regarding the cause, Bhuiyan explained: "There was a strong chemical or gas odor when we first arrived, which dissipated after seawater flooded the compartment. The leak likely involved carbon monoxide or other hazardous by-products. This was a 20-to-25-year-old LNG tanker sold as scrap. Vessels of this nature contain various chemical by-products and require scientific decontamination prior to cutting, which many local yards fail to do. As workers proceeded to cut pipes, those in the immediate vicinity inhaled the lethal fumes instantly."

Superintendent of Chattogram Industrial Police, Mahmuda Begum, confirmed that eight bodies are currently at CMCH and cautioned that the death toll could climb further given the critical condition of several injured workers. 137 Workers Killed in 9 Years and 9 Months

Fazlul Kabir Mintu, Center Coordinator of the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) and Member Secretary of the Shipbreaking Workers Trade Union Forum, provided grim historical data regarding safety conditions in Sitakunda's shipbreaking industry.

According to BILS data, 137 workers have lost their lives and 239 others have been injured in various workplace accidents across Sitakunda shipyards between 2015 and mid-2026.

Annual fatality figures stand at: 16 in 2015, 18 in 2016, 19 in 2017, 13 in 2018, 23 in 2019, 10 in 2020, 13 in 2021, 7 in 2022, 7 in 2023, 7 in 2024, and 4 in 2025. Through June 2026, 3 workers had been killed and 54 injured prior to Friday's incident.