Toxic gas leak kills 8 at Bangladesh ship-breaking yard

At least eight workers have died following a toxic gas leak at a ship-breaking yard in the southeastern Bangladeshi district of Chattogram, officials said on Friday.

The incident occurred at the Ferdaus Steel Shipbreaking Yard in Sitakund subdistrict, an area that hosts many ship-breaking yards where old vessels mostly imported from around the world are dismantled.

Soon after the leak, many workers lost consciousness and were rushed to a local hospital.

Six out of seven people taken to Chattogram Medical College Hospital were declared dead, according to doctor Istiaq Rahman of the hospital’s emergency department.

The victims showed signs of both physical injuries and gas inhalation, he said.

Police officer Alamgir Hossain said the bodies of two additional workers were later found at the yard.