Online Desk:

The death toll increased to nine after another injured worker, Md Hanif, 39, died in a private hospital in Chattogram.

With this, nine workers were killed in the suspected toxic gas exposure inside a ship being dismantled at a shipbreaking yard in Sitakunda’s Bhatiary today.

Firefighters rescued the workers from the vessel which was anchored adjacent to Ferdous Steel Shipyard in the morning.

Sitakunda Police Station Inspector (Investigation) Md Alamgir earlier said two people died at the site of the incident, while six others were declared dead on arrival after being taken to hospital.

“Six people were brought to Chattogram Medical College Hospital following the incident. Five of them were declared dead on arrival, while one injured was admitted to the hospital,” said Nurul Alam, in-charge of CMCH police outpost.

He said the workers were likely killed after toxic gas spread inside the vessel.

Another injured worker from the ship was brought in to the hospital around 2:30pm and was pronounced dead on arrival, the police official added.

“The bodies were recovered from a ship being dismantled at the yard. Injured workers were also rescued and sent to hospital,” said Mohammad Mamun, senior station officer of the Fire Service and Civil Defence’s Kumira station.

Family members of the workers have gathered at the hospital.

Mohammad Yusuf, manager of the shipyard, said an LNG carrier was being dismantled and the cutting work was nearing completion.

“Liquid waste was found in a section of the vessel. The incident happened when a safety officer and others went there to inspect it,” he said.

Mahmuda Begum, an official of Chattogram Industrial Police, told that police had received information about the incident but were yet to obtain details.

“A team has been sent to the site,” she said.

Mahbub Hasan, deputy inspector general of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE), said the agency had received information that several workers had been taken to hospital.

“We are working to determine the cause of the accident,” he said.

M/T Rasi, 280m in length and 43m wide, arrived in Chattogram anchorage in July 2025 and was officially beached for demolition on July 13, 2025.