Staff Reporter :
The inquiry committee, formed by the Chittagong district administration after August 22 night’s gas tank blast at di-ammonium phosphate plant [DAP], has termed it as an ‘organization without accountability and transparency’.
As per findings of the committee, five safety apparatus, including refrigeration compressor system and pressure gauge, were totally inactive, which were vital reasons behind the massive blast and large-scale ecological devastation in the surrounding areas.
Especially, the refrigeration compressor system, used for cooling, was out of order for more than three years. Besides, the automatic DCS [distributed control system], which works through two pressure transmitters to show tank’s gas pressure in two computers, was also not in order. One pressure transmitter was inactive since years and another one stopped functioning just one day before the accident.
The probe body headed by Additional District Magistrate Mamunur Rashid on Wednesday submitted the report to Deputy Commissioner of Chittagong Mejbahuddin Ahmed and recommended that it [DAP] needs transparency and answerability in each and every department to avoid such accident in future.
In this backdrop, the investigation committee made solely responsible deputy chief engineer [electrical] Dilip Kumar Barua and general manager [technical and maintenance] Nakibul Islam of DAP for the accident and recommended the authorities to withdraw the two officials from the service.
There are two pressure vents in the tank to push out excessive pressure of gas. But the two vents were inoperative during the explosion. In addition, there is also a flare system to control gas pressure automatically, but it was also not workable at that time.
The committee also placed four others recommendations. These are: 1) development of DAP management and inter-departmental coordination in emergency basis, 2) the DAP manager must be empowered with the authority of necessary purchase, repair and taking important decisions, 3) establishing strong chain of command among officials and employees, 4) DAP must have its own fire fighting and safety unit while it usually depends on CUFL and KAFCO for different utility services.
Expressing astonishment, the probe body in its report mentioned that the relevant officials [for running the plant] had no idea that the plant could be exploded accidentally. Not only that, none of them have any training for gas plant operation. During the interviews, assistant engineers Syed Hossain, Dulal Kanti Devnath and Md Iqbal Hossain admitted to the investigation committee that they did not take any training to operate such a big plant.
The inquiry report said the 500 metric tons capacity tank was containing 340 metric tons liquid ammonia during the accident. The explosion was occurred at basement plate of the tank due to shutdown of all five safety apparatus and too much pressure of gas.
The powerful explosion drove away the tank about 20 feet distance and caused severe damage. It will need around Tk 20 -22 crore to rebuild a new tank in the DAP. The approximate value of the exploded tank was Tk 5-6 crore. “To avoid own responsibility, executive engineer [electrical] Kazi Masudur Rahman tried to put blame on the construction procedure of the plant. Actually, they [concerned officials] failed to carry out their own duties properly, and for that reason the safety apparatus were inactive during the blast,” head of the investigation committee said.He said there was no coordination among the relevant departments, including operation, administration, maintenance, CV, accounts and commercial section. The lack of coordination prompted the accident.
Meanwhile, the Department of Fisheries [DoF] in a separate investigation report has said that about 36 metric tons of fish and shrimp died due to toxic affect in the nearby water bodies and fishing farms. The local people, however, said that the actual quantity of dead fish was about double.
On the other hand, the Chittagong district administration, in its report said the financial loss for the fish was about Tk 1 crore 27 lakh.The inquiry committee interviewed a total of ten concerned officials of DAP and went through the reports published and aired in the print, electronic and online media from August 23 -29. The committee also took help from Anwara upazila administration for different data and information. Besides, the committee members also visited the spot for several times.
More than 100 persons fall sick due to inhalation of gas and about 50 were admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital with respiratory problem.
