RSOE EDIS: Bangladesh - Fire - 2009.12.27

RSOE Emergency and Disaster Information Service Budapest, Hungary RSOE EDIS ALERTMAIL

2009-12-27 05:41:19 - Fire - Bangladesh EDIS CODE: FR-20091227-24328-BGD Date & Time: 2009-12-27 05:41:19 [UTC] Area: Bangladesh, Sitakunda Upazila, Madamdibir Haat, Number of death person(s): 4 Number of Injured person(s): 20 Damage level: Moderate (Level 2) Not confirmed information! Description: Four workers were killed and 20 others injured in a big explosion at a ship-breaking yard at Madamdibir Haat in Sitakunda Upazila yesterday morning. Three entrapped workers are yet to be rescued from the ship. Those seriously injured were taken to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, while others injured were taken to Sitakunda upazila health complex and different clinics, eye-witnesses said. The death toll "may rise further", as a number of workers were fighting for life, hospital sources said. Three of those killed were identified as Selim, 25, son of Yakub Ali of Jhalakati district, Rana Mia, 30, of Bogra district and Robiul, 30, of Naogaon district. The identity of the other deceased could not be ascertained immediately. The tragic accident occurred at Rahim Diamond Steel & Ship Breaking Yard owned by Haji A Rahim when some 50 workers were dismantling an oil tanker of 14000 tons Witnesses said a boiler "suddenly burst into flames" at about 10:30 AM while the workers were cutting a ship named 'A-gate', killing four of them on the spot and injuring 15 others. On information, police rushed in and cordoned off the area. Fire Brigade, police and some rescued workers said three workers are yet to be rescued from the ship who went under the blasted iron scraps. Fire Brigade team which rushed from Sitakunda fire station to the spot, are still trying to rescue three missing workers and to extinguish the fire, till filing this report late in the evening. Sitakund Thana OC Manirul Islam said police recovered the four bodies after the boiler blast. Today's fatal explosion was one of a number of such incidents in the spontaneously growing industry which reports say lacks proper streamlining and regulatory measures. Posted:2009-12-27 05:41:19 [UTC] Please DO NOT reply to this message: replies may be treated as errors and result in your subscription being deleted. If you have trouble or other queries, send email to havaria@rsoe.hu RSOE EDIS is operated by the National Association of Radio-Distress Signalling and Infocommunications (RSOE), Budapest, Hungary. Because of the complexity of this system and its dependence on other systems, we cannot be responsible for delays or failures in forwarding or transmission. You're receiving this AlertMail because you subscribed for the service. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. Contact: havaria@rsoe.hu