“The gas was so strong that another 20 seconds inside the ship would have killed me,” said Mohammad Selim, a worker at Ferdous Steel Ship Recycling Industries in Chattogram’s Sitakunda, where nine workers died after being exposed to toxic gas this morning.
“The morning began like any other. We came to work as usual. A few of our colleagues went inside the ship while we stayed outside. Suddenly, we heard screams -- ‘Gas! Gas!’. We rushed in to rescue them, but within moments, the toxic fumes became so intense that we had to retreat. Even though I was wearing a mask, the gas was so toxic that I believe I would have died if I had stayed there for 20 more seconds,” Selim told The Daily Star.
Selim was recalling the horror while lying on a bed of Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH). Nine workers died in the incident while Selim narrowly escaped.
Selim said the LNG carrier vessel, MT Rasi, had been cut from all sides for the last few months. Since it had been used to transport LNG products, there was a lot of gas inside. When a group of workers entered the ship to cut it today, the gas spread after coming into contact with water. Those who went inside to rescue the workers were also affected and fell ill on the spot.
“Many of them were wearing masks, while some had their faces covered with cloth. But the intensity of the gas was extremely high. After coming out, I lost consciousness. Most of those who went inside to rescue others were also affected,” Selim said.
“I have been working there for 18 years. I have never faced such a horror before,” he added.
Police have confirmed the identities of the nine people.
The victims are Motiur Rahaman, 17, of Sitakunda’s Sonaichhari; Palash Das and Sunny Das -- from Bhatiari; Mohammad Khokon Mia, of Gaibandha; and Mohammad Mansur, Abdul Alim Sujon, Md Rana, Nasir Uddin and Md Hanif -- all from Sonaichari in Mirsarai.
Sujon’s family confirmed that he worked as a safety assistant engineer at the shipbreaking yard.
Md Hanif was taken to Chattogram National Hospital, a private hospital in the port city’s Mehedibag, in a critical condition where doctors declared him dead, said hospital authorities.
Brig Gen Taslim Uddin, director of Chattogram Medical College Hospital, said eight workers were brought dead to the hospital while one was receiving treatment.
Angor Ali has been working as a shipbreaking worker in Sitakunda for 35 years. A distant relative of 23-year-old Khokon Mia, he said, “Khokon cut metal from ships at the shipyard. His co-workers told me that he went to rescue others after hearing their screams and got trapped with them.
Standing in front of the CMCH morgue, Abdul Awal Subhash, younger brother of victim Abdul Alim Sujon, said, “My brother died while going inside to rescue others. He rescued one person first and brought him upstairs. When he went down again, he was engulfed by toxic gas.”
“He joined the yard about a year and a half ago,” he added.
Mohammad Kawsar, a cousin of the deceased Rana, said, “Rana started working in the yard about five or six months ago. He lived there as a bachelor. I received a call from his family in Gaibandha at noon and rushed to the Chittagong Medical. When I arrived, I found that he was pronounced dead.”
Visiting the victims, Chattogram DC Md Zahidul Islam Mian told reporters that the ship was nearing the end of the dismantling process. Gas spread after work began today.
He said they have initially learned there was a huge concentration of carbon monoxide, causing many to lose consciousness due to a lack of oxygen. Those who went to rescue them were also affected.
“We are overseeing the treatment of those injured. The families of all those who died will receive Tk 10 lakh in financial compensation,” he said.
The DC also said a team of chemists and an army team were working to control the spread of gas in the locality.
“Action will be taken as per law if negligence is found on the part of the company,” he said.
