Toxic hydrogen sulphide persists at Ferdous Steel vessel in Sitakunda after 9 deaths
Specialist team from Dhaka to inspect site.
High levels of toxic hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) gas are still being detected inside the vessel at Ferdous Steel Ship Recycling Industry in Sitakunda, Chattogram, two days after nine workers were killed in a gas leak there, preventing investigators from entering the vessel.
A three-member specialist team from Dhaka is heading to the yard to inspect the vessel and determine the source and nature of the gas leak, according to the Bangladesh Ship Recycling Board (BSRB).
The vessel has been cordoned off as it remains hazardous, with no one being allowed to enter until the gas emission is brought under control.
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Shah Imran, deputy assistant director of Chattogram Fire Service and Civil Defence, confirmed the development to The Business Standard.
He said H₂S concentrations inside the vessel's ballast tank rise to between 50 and 80 parts per million (ppm) during low tide, posing a serious risk to anyone entering the enclosed space.
"During high tide, gas emission is lower. But during low tide, the level rises to 50-80 ppm, which is highly dangerous for the human body," he said.
Fire Service team forced to retreat
The Fire Service's Hazmat team inspected the ballast tank around noon yesterday (15 August) but detected no H₂S as it was high tide at the time, Shah Imran said.
When the team returned around 6pm during low tide, however, it detected H₂S concentrations of 50-80 ppm.
The specialist Hazmat team attempted another inspection at around 10am today (16 August), again during low tide, but detected high concentrations of the toxic gas and had to withdraw.
"As long as the gas emission continues, there is no way for the investigation committee to safely inspect the site," Shah Imran said.
Following discussions with government agencies and the investigation committee, authorities decided to bring in a specialist organisation or team to remove sludge and accumulated hazardous gases from the vessel's ballast tank.
The vessel will not be declared safe until the specialist team completes the cleaning, provides written safety certification and the Fire Service conducts a follow-up inspection.
Dhaka team to inspect vessel
Bangladesh Ship Recycling Board Director General ASM Shafiul Alam Talukder told The Business Standard that a three-member specialist team was on its way from Dhaka to inspect the vessel.
"After the team submits its report, the next decision will be taken," he said.
The Ministry of Industries has formed a three-member expert team to identify the source and nature of the gas leak and recommend measures to eliminate potential risks.
The team comprises Md Easir Arafat Khan, professor of chemical engineering at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET); Captain Md Shoyeb Ahmed, director at Bangladesh Maritime University; and Mohammad Mehedi Islam Khan, assistant explosives inspector at the Department of Explosives.
The team has been tasked with identifying the gas involved in the 14 August accident, determining the source of the leak and recommending measures to stop it.
It will also assess whether any hazardous gases or substances remain inside the vessel and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Nine workers were killed and several others injured after being exposed to toxic gas inside a vessel being dismantled at Ferdous Steel Ship Recycling Industry in Bhatiary, Sitakunda, on Friday (14 August).
