An unfortunate gas explosion in a coal mine located in Iran’s South Khorasan Province has resulted in the tragic loss of at least 51 lives, with 20 individuals sustaining injuries, as reported by Iran’s state media on Sunday.
The incident was triggered by a methane gas explosion that took place in blocks B and C of the mine, which is operated by the Madanjoo company, according to state media sources.
Providing insight into the significance of the region in coal production, the governor of South Khorasan Province, Ali Akbar Rahimi, highlighted that approximately 76% of the country’s coal supply originates from this area, with several major companies, including Madanjoo, actively operating in the region.
Rescue efforts in block B have been concluded, with reports indicating that out of the 47 workers present in the block during the explosion, 30 lost their lives while 17 sustained injuries.
Concurrently, rescue operations in block C have commenced, with authorities facing challenges due to the high methane density in the area, estimating that the operation may take around 3-4 hours to complete.
At the time of the explosion, a total of 69 workers were reportedly inside the blocks, with 17 injured individuals already transported to the hospital and 24 individuals still unaccounted for, as per Iran’s Red Crescent.
The tragic incident occurred at 9 p.m. (1730 GMT) on Saturday, as confirmed by state media sources.
Expressing his condolences to the families of the victims, President Masoud Pezeshkian assured that necessary measures would be taken to address the situation, stating, “I spoke with ministers and we will do our best to follow up,” during televised remarks.
