CHITTAGONG — A toxic gas leak inside a decommissioned oil tanker killed eight workers at a shipbreaking yard in Sitakunda, Bangladesh, early Wednesday, according to local police.
The blast occurred while laborers were cutting through the vessel’s hull. Authorities believe trapped gas ignited during the process, triggering an explosion that trapped the men inside the confined space.
“The workers were cutting the ship when the gas trapped in the pipe exploded,” said the local police chief. “They didn’t stand a chance.”
Emergency responders recovered the bodies after a three-hour operation. Five other workers remain in critical condition at the Chittagong Medical College Hospital, suffering from severe burns and smoke inhalation.
Safety standards at Bangladesh’s sprawling shipbreaking industry have been under fire for years. Sitakunda is home to dozens of yards where massive, end-of-life vessels are dismantled by hand. Critics argue that owners prioritize profit over the lives of thousands of low-wage laborers, often bypassing basic ventilation or gas-testing protocols before cutting begins.
Despite government pledges to tighten regulations following a string of fatal accidents, the industry remains largely unregulated. Inspections are rare, and safety equipment for workers is frequently absent.
For the families of those lost today, the tragedy is a familiar story. As investigators sweep the site, local labor activists have already called for a criminal investigation into the yard’s management.
Whether this incident forces a permanent change in safety enforcement remains uncertain, but for the eight men who died in the hull of a decommissioned tanker, the industry’s failure is absolute.
