Of the injured three have been identified as Ledu Miah, 35, of Moheshkhali upazila in Cox's Bazar, Nayan, 25, and Amir Solaiman, 17, of Mirersarai upazila in Chittagong.

Injured Ledu and Nayan were admitted to Medical Centre (Pvt) Hospital while Solaiman and two others were released after first aid at a local clinic.

A worker of the yard told The Daily Star that Ledu and some other workers were removing mud at the yard around 1:00pm when one of the vertically piled iron plates fell on them and injured several workers.

Sub-inspector Gias Uddin of Sitakunda Police Station said he visited the ship-breaking yard and nothing "serious" happened there. "Only one worker was injured and he was sent to hospital," he said.

The exact number of injured people remains a mystery, as the yard authorities did not allow anyone inside.

Sources said the accident occurred at newly built yard Unique Traders, owned by SM Al Mamun, son of local Awami League lawmaker ABM Abul Kashem Master.

Al Mamun or his father could not be reached over phone after repeated attempts.

On February 19, Department of Forest (DoF) filed a case with the Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court accusing 13 people, including Al Mamun, in connection with felling trees along the coastal belt of Sonaichhari to build the ship-breaking yard Unique Traders.

However, police submitted the final report sparing the accused in the case prompting the DoF to file a Naraji petition before the Magistrate court, said sources in the DoF.

The DoF later moved to the District Session's Court of Chittagong where it remains pending till date, added the sources.

Earlier on Saturday, an explosion at Rahim Steel and Ship-breaking Yard in Sitakunda claimed lives of four workers and injured 13 others. So far at least 18 people have died in ship-breaking mishaps this year while 18 were killed in 2006 and 2007 and 15 in 2008.