An explosion at a coal mine in eastern Iran has resulted in at least 51 fatalities and left 20 others injured, according to Iranian state television. The blast, attributed to a methane gas leak, occurred in Tabas, approximately 540 kilometers (335 miles) southeast of Tehran.
Reports indicate that at least 69 workers were present in one of the mine’s tunnels when the gas leak happened on Saturday night. State television later reported that 24 workers are believed to be trapped inside the mine, while 28 others have been hospitalized for treatment.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, who was set to travel to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, has ordered all possible measures to be taken for the rescue of those trapped and to assist their families. He also announced that an investigation into the incident has been initiated.
This tragedy is not an isolated event in Iran’s mining sector. In 2017, a coal mine explosion resulted in at least 42 deaths, while other incidents in 2013 and 2009 claimed the lives of 11 and 20 workers, respectively. The high casualty rates are frequently attributed to lax safety standards and inadequate emergency services in mining areas.
