Photo: IRNA
TEHRAN: A blast caused by a gas leak at an Iranian coal mine has killed at least 51 people, state media said Sunday, in one of the country’s deadliest work accidents in years.
“The number of dead workers increased to 51” in the explosion at the Tabas mine in eastern Iran, the official IRNA news agency reported, revising an earlier death toll of 30.
It added that 20 other people were injured.
The explosion occurred at around 9:00 pm (1730 GMT) on Saturday, when around 70 workers were present at the site in South Khorasan province, IRNA said.
According to the report, a leak of methane gas led to the blast in two blocks of the mine, which is owned by the private Iranian firm Madanjoo.
State TV broadcast footage of ambulances and helicopters arriving at Tabas to transport the injured to hospital.
Online footage carried by IRNA showed the bodies of some of the victims, wearing their work uniforms, carried out of the site on mining carts.
South Khorasan governor Javad Ghenaat told state TV that rescue teams were working to recover the remaining bodies.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, in remarks carried on state TV before departing for the UN General Assembly in New York, offered his condolences to the families of the victims and ordered a probe into the deadly incident.
“Unfortunately, we learned that an accident occurred in one of the coal mines in Tabas and a number of our compatriots lost their lives. I offer my condolences to their respected families,” Pezeshkian said.
His first vice president, Mohammad Reza Aref, spoke with cabinet members to ensure “emergency follow-up” and support for the victims and their families, IRNA said.
