Four workers suffered burn injuries after an explosion at a steel re-rolling mill in Rupganj, Narayanganj, on Wednesday evening. The incident occurred at around 8pm at Premier Steel Re-Rolling Mills (PSRM) in the Barpa Ariabo area of Tarabo municipality.
The injured workers have been identified as Sajib Sarkar, 32, Rubel Ahmed, 28, Nazmul, 33, and Abir, 19. They were taken to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka for treatment following the incident.
Sultan Mahmud Shikdar, a resident physician at the burn institute, said Sajib suffered burns to around 70 per cent of his body. Rubel sustained burns to 25 per cent of his body, while Nazmul and Abir suffered burns to 20 per cent and 10 per cent respectively.
The extent of Sajib’s injuries is particularly serious, given the large proportion of his body affected by the burns. The other three workers are also receiving medical attention at the specialist facility.
Nabil Talukder, a colleague of the injured workers, said he had finished his work and was on his way home at around 8pm when he suddenly heard people shouting.
He looked back towards the mill and saw sparks and flames spreading after what appeared to be an explosion involving the furnace of the rolling mill. Nabil said he immediately returned to the site and found several workers suffering from burn injuries.
He later helped bring the four injured workers to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery for treatment.
According to the initial account, the accident may have occurred after a leak in the furnace caused molten metal to fall below, triggering the explosion and sending burning material and sparks into the surrounding area. However, the exact cause of the incident has not yet been established.
Nabil also said that several other people may have suffered burns in the accident, although details about their condition or the number of additional casualties were not immediately available.
Steel re-rolling mills involve high-temperature industrial processes in which molten metal is handled near heavy machinery. Furnace leaks or failures can therefore create serious risks for workers in the immediate vicinity. Establishing precisely how the leak occurred will be important in determining what led to Wednesday night’s accident.
The incident has also raised concerns over workplace safety at industrial facilities where workers operate close to furnaces and molten metal. The condition of the four injured workers is expected to remain under medical observation as treatment continues.
