Cylinder blast hurts eight ship breakers in port city

Eight workers sustained severe burn injuries in a gas cylinder explosion in a ship-breaking yard at South Sonaichhari under Sitakunda upazila in Chittagong. Md Didarul Islam, owner of ship-breaking yard, claimed that the LPG cylinder explosion took place at the storeroom around 7:30am at Shital Entreprise. The injured workers were identified as Abdur Rouf, 24, Abdul Mannan, 24, Mohammad Khokon, 34, Pasha Sheikh, 36, Al Amin, 27, Nadim, 26, Maksudul ,25 and Shahjahan, 23.
Of the injured, Mohammad Khokon, Al Amin, Md Nadim, Maksudul Alam and Shahjahan were sent to the Burn and Plastic Surgery unit of Chittagong Medical College Hospital. On the other hand, Abdur Rouf, Abdul Mannan and Pasha Sheikh were undergoing treatment at Al Amin Haspatal (Pvt) Ltd in Chittagong. Dr Farhana Akhter, deputy registrar of the Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit of CMCH, told The Independent that Al Amin sustained 24 percent burn injuries to his body, Nadim 24 percent, Maksudul 30 percent, Shahjahan 12 percent and Mohammad Khokon received 50 percent burn injuries. “All the burnt workers are in a risky state as they suffered severe injuries in their respiratory organs. We cannot say anything for sure until 48 hour passes,” added the physician.   
Meanwhile, Dr Mesbah Uddin Tuhin, director of Al Amin Haspatal, said all the three workers taking treatment in their hospital sustained 20-30 percent burn injuries. While talking to The Independent, Md Didarul Islam, proprietor of Shital Entreprise said that the mishap took place due to the leakage in the LPG gas cylinder. “The cylinder kept at the storeroom of the yard blasted as the workers were smoking cigarettes. I myself went to the CMCH to see the burnt workers. Their condition is good and their injuries are not that critical,” claimed the ship-breaking yard owner. “I have come to know that some workers sustained injuries from a cylinder explosion.
We are considering taking punitive measures against the ship-breaking yard where the mishap took place,” said Zakir Hossain, deputy inspector general of the  Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments.
“We have already formed a six-member committee to monitor the ship-breaking yards. We are also raising awareness about occupational safety among the yard owners. However, there are some errant yard owners who are negligent about occupational safety,” added Zakir.
It may be mentioned that a worker was burnt to death and three others sustained injuries on August 25 this year when they were cutting a plate of scrapped ship with a gas cutters. The fire accident took place at that time at SN Corporation, a ship breaking yard located in South Sheetalpur under Sitakunda upazila in Chittagong. Besides, four workers were killed and three others injured when a gas cylinder exploded at a ship breaking yard in Sitakunda on April 3, 2014. All four died from inhaling carbon dioxide at that time. 

Cylinder blast hurts eight ship breakers in port city

Eight workers sustained severe burn injuries in a gas cylinder explosion in a ship-breaking yard at South Sonaichhari under Sitakunda upazila in Chittagong. Md Didarul Islam, owner of ship-breaking yard, claimed that the LPG cylinder explosion took place at the storeroom around 7:30am at Shital Entreprise. The injured workers were identified as Abdur Rouf, 24, Abdul Mannan, 24, Mohammad Khokon, 34, Pasha Sheikh, 36, Al Amin, 27, Nadim, 26, Maksudul ,25 and Shahjahan, 23. Of the injured, Mohammad Khokon, Al Amin, Md Nadim, Maksudul Alam and Shahjahan were sent to the Burn and Plastic Surgery unit of Chittagong Medical College Hospital. On the other hand, Abdur Rouf, Abdul Mannan and Pasha Sheikh were undergoing treatment at Al Amin Haspatal (Pvt) Ltd in Chittagong. Dr Farhana Akhter, deputy registrar of the Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit of CMCH, told The Independent that Al Amin sustained 24 percent burn injuries to his body, Nadim 24 percent, Maksudul 30 percent, Shahjahan 12 percent and Mohammad Khokon received 50 percent burn injuries. All the burnt workers are in a risky state as they suffered severe injuries in their respiratory organs. We cannot say anything for sure until 48 hour passes, added the physician. Meanwhile, Dr Mesbah Uddin Tuhin, director of Al Amin Haspatal, said all the three workers taking treatment in their hospital sustained 20-30 percent burn injuries. While talking to The Independent, Md Didarul Islam, proprietor of Shital Entreprise said that the mishap took place due to the leakage in the LPG gas cylinder. The cylinder kept at the storeroom of the yard blasted as the workers were smoking cigarettes. I myself went to the CMCH to see the burnt workers. Their condition is good and their injuries are not that critical, claimed the ship-breaking yard owner. I have come to know that some workers sustained injuries from a cylinder explosion. We are considering taking punitive measures against the ship-breaking yard where the mishap took place, said Zakir Hossain, deputy inspector general of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments. We have already formed a six-member committee to monitor the ship-breaking yards. We are also raising awareness about occupational safety among the yard owners. However, there are some errant yard owners who are negligent about occupational safety, added Zakir. It may be mentioned that a worker was burnt to death and three others sustained injuries on August 25 this year when they were cutting a plate of scrapped ship with a gas cutters. The fire accident took place at that time at SN Corporation, a ship breaking yard located in South Sheetalpur under Sitakunda upazila in Chittagong. Besides, four workers were killed and three others injured when a gas cylinder exploded at a ship breaking yard in Sitakunda on April 3, 2014. All four died from inhaling carbon dioxide at that time.