Dozens of miners are feared trapped after one of the deadliest mine explosions in recent years.
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Updated:
3 hours ago
An explosion at a coal mine in eastern Iran has claimed at least 51 lives and injured 20 others, with several workers still trapped, according to Iranian state television. The blast, caused by a methane gas leak, occurred at a mine operated by the Madanjoo company in Tabas, about 540 km (335 miles) southeast of Tehran.
The incident happened around 9:00 p.m. (1730 GMT) on Saturday when 69 workers were present in two sections, B and C, of the mine. Rescue efforts in section B have been completed, revealing that 30 out of 47 workers there died, with 17 injured. Operations have begun in section C, but high methane levels are expected to delay progress by about three to four hours, said South Khorasan Province Governor Ali Akbar Rahimi.
President Masoud Pezeshkian, who was set to attend the United Nations General Assembly, has ordered a full-scale rescue operation and investigation into the explosion. He emphasized the importance of rescuing those trapped and supporting their families.
This explosion adds to a troubling history of mining disasters in Iran, including a 2017 coal mine explosion that killed 42 people, a 2013 incident with 11 fatalities, and several events in 2009 that resulted in 20 deaths. Lax safety standards and inadequate emergency response are often cited as contributing factors.
The incident happened around 9:00 p.m. (1730 GMT) on Saturday when 69 workers were present in two sections, B and C, of the mine. Rescue efforts in section B have been completed, revealing that 30 out of 47 workers there died, with 17 injured. Operations have begun in section C, but high methane levels are expected to delay progress by about three to four hours, said South Khorasan Province Governor Ali Akbar Rahimi.
President Masoud Pezeshkian, who was set to attend the United Nations General Assembly, has ordered a full-scale rescue operation and investigation into the explosion. He emphasized the importance of rescuing those trapped and supporting their families.
This explosion adds to a troubling history of mining disasters in Iran, including a 2017 coal mine explosion that killed 42 people, a 2013 incident with 11 fatalities, and several events in 2009 that resulted in 20 deaths. Lax safety standards and inadequate emergency response are often cited as contributing factors.
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