The ammonia gas that had leaked after an explosion of a reservoir at Diammonium Phosphate Fertiliser Company Limited (DAPFCL) in Chittagong has decreased to tolerable limits, according to the fire service officials. At the time of the explosion, the amount of ammonia gas in the air was recorded at 600ppm (parts per million) while the tolerable level is 25ppm, deputy additional director of the fire service Md Jashim Uddin  said yesterday. “Around 9 this morning (Tuesday), the ammonia gas recorded in the air is about 20ppm and our target is to bring down the ammonia gas to 5ppm,” the official added.
Chittagong Deputy Commissioner Mezbah Uddin said the situation was now out of danger and that the authorities were working on bringing the situation to normal. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) formed a 10-member committee to investigate the reason behind the accident, the damage and cost of the damage. The probe committee will submit a detailed report along with recommendations for other gas reservoirs within three days, the organisation’s Director Shaheen Kamal said. After visiting the factory, BCIC Chairman Mohammad Iqbal said those affected would get compensation. Apart from that probe committee, the Chittagong district administration, on Monday night, formed a three-member probe committee headed by Mominur Rashid, Chittagong’s additional district magistrate, to investigate the incident. The committee will submit the report within seven days. The other members of the committee are the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Anwara upazila and officer-in-charge of Anwara police station.
Over 250 people fell ill on Monday night after inhaling ammonia gas that leaked from a reservoir of the DAP factory in Chittagong’s Anwara. Fifty-six persons, including five children, were admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH).
Thirty-nine people are still under treatment at the CMCH till 6pm yesterday, said Nayek Abdul Hamid of the CMCH police outpost. “Their condition is stable now,” he added.
Among those who fell sick are 12 members of the Armed Police Battalion (APB) and 17 members of Ansar and village defence parties (VDP). The APB members were on duty at Shah Amanat International Airport and the Ansar members were on duty at the DAP factory, which is located near a factory of Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company Limited (KAFCO).
Local people said after the leak, gas spread around the tank and its adjacent areas and created a fog-like atmosphere. Firemen were deployed immediately and they sprayed water on the tank from Monday night. The situation was brought under control around 2pm, said fire service official Abul Kalam.
Recounting the incident, he said the gas started coming out of the tank after an explosion. All 300 tonnes of gas came out which was kept at minus 30 degrees Celsius. One of the three tanks at the factory premises had leaked, he added.
“We heard a loud sound around 10pm when the factory was about to close. We saw a tanker had exploded. Gas was coming out of the tank. The reason behind the accident has not been ascertained yet,” said the company’s managing director Amal Kanti. The gas had spread to the other side of Karnaphuli river and the factory’s adjacent areas, covering almost 25km. Many residents of Patenga area, Naval Academy, Bandar, Halishahar and Agrabad were also affected by the gas leakage. They said they could feel the toxicity in the air even though they kept doors and windows of their homes shut.