Four workers were burnt in an explosion at a steel re-rolling mill in Rupganj, Narayanganj, on Wednesday evening, with one of the injured suffering burns to as much as 70 per cent of his body.
The incident took place at around 8pm at Premier Steel Re-Rolling Mills (PSRM) in the Barpa Ariabo area of Tarabo municipality. The injured workers were taken to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka for treatment.
The four workers have been identified as Sajib Sarkar, 32, Rubel Ahmed, 28, Nazmul, 33, and Abir, 19.
According to Sultan Mahmud Shikdar, a resident physician at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Sajib suffered burns to approximately 70 per cent of his body. Rubel sustained burns to 25 per cent, while Nazmul and Abir suffered burns to 20 per cent and 10 per cent of their bodies respectively.
The injuries occurred when an explosion reportedly took place in the furnace area of the rolling mill. A preliminary account suggests that a leak in the furnace may have caused molten iron to spill downwards, resulting in the accident. The exact cause, however, has not yet been confirmed.
Nabil Talukder, a colleague of the injured workers, described the moments immediately after the incident.
He said he had finished work and was heading home at around 8pm. After walking some distance from the mill, he suddenly heard people shouting. When he turned around, he saw sparks and flames spreading around the rolling mill following what appeared to be an explosion in the furnace.
Nabil said he immediately rushed back towards the site and found several workers with burn injuries. He subsequently helped bring the four injured workers to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery for medical treatment.
Nabil also claimed that several other people may have sustained burns in the incident, although no details about their identities or conditions were immediately available.
Furnaces in steel re-rolling facilities operate at extremely high temperatures, and workers in their vicinity can face serious risks if molten metal escapes from its designated containment area. A furnace leak can expose workers to intense heat and burning material within seconds, making safety procedures and equipment critical in such workplaces.
In this case, the initial information points to a possible furnace leak and the subsequent fall of molten iron as the trigger for the explosion. A full assessment of the equipment and the circumstances surrounding the incident would be needed to establish the precise cause.
The four injured workers remain under medical care, with Sajib’s condition of particular concern because of the extent of his burns. Details of any further casualties have not yet been confirmed.
