Massive Fire & Explosion at Bangladesh’s Green-Certified Shipyard Leaves 1 Dead & 11 Seriously Injured

The incident occurred at SN Corporation and has been described as one of the most serious recent accidents in the shipbreaking industry.

According to local fire and police officials, the explosion occurred at 11:30 a.m. while a group of 12 workers were cutting into the engine spaces of a partly destroyed former tanker. While the specifics vary, it is believed that the workers were attempting to open one of the fuel tanks or cut through a pump room when the explosion occurred.

Emergency response teams, including two local fire departments, arrived quickly and managed to control the fire. All 12 workers were taken to a nearby hospital. Later on Saturday, eight of the workers with severe burns were moved to an advanced burn unit.

Unfortunately, the yard’s 38-year-old manager died from his injuries before arriving at the facility. The remaining seven workers have burns on 25 to 80 per cent of their bodies, as well as inhalation issues and hearing loss.

In response to the incident, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Industries has ordered an immediate suspension of all operations at the yard and announced the formation of an investigative board to determine the cause of the explosion.

According to a Bangladesh Ship Breakers and Recyclers Association representative, the SN Corporation is one of only four shipbreaking yards in Bangladesh that have been certified as green yards. The organization’s initial investigation indicated that all dismantling records were in order at the time of the accident. However, a union representative stated that the explosion was caused by a failure to adhere to safety regulations, citing insufficient enforcement of workplace safety rules. They claimed contractors hired to perform the cutting work often fail to comply with required safety standards.

Bangladesh’s shipbreaking industry has encountered major obstacles in recent years, worsened by the COVID-19 outbreak and the country’s economic crisis. Before these incidents, the industry had around 150 operational yards, but numbers dropped to 10-15 yards during the financial crisis. Despite these obstacles, there has been a comeback, with 30 to 35 yards currently operational, just four of which are green-certified. An additional five to six yards are currently undergoing certification.

According to government data collected by the Labour Resource and Support Center, 124 workers died in accidents at Bangladeshi shipbreaking yards in the past nine years.

According to the Dhaka Tribune, 12 accidents occurred during the first half of 2024, resulting in 12 injuries and one death.

The NGO Shipbreaking Platform, which monitors conditions in Southeast Asia’s shipbreaking industry, has criticized operations in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. According to the organization, the industry lacks transparency, and many incidents are likely to go unnoticed. In its second quarter 2024 report, the NGO stated that Bangladesh dismantled 48 of 94 ships worldwide between April and June, making it the most active country in the industry.

Industry experts and stakeholders are urging for stricter enforcement of safety regulations and increased transparency to prevent such accidents.