Iran Coal Mine Methane Blast Kills 51, Injures 20 Workers

Iran Coal Mine Methane Blast Kills 51, Injures 20 Workers

A methane gas explosion at a coal mine in Iran’s South Khorasan province has claimed the lives of at least 51 workers and left 20 others injured, as reported by state media on Sunday.

The tragic incident occurred at around 9 p.m. local time on Saturday in two blocks of the mine operated by the Madanjoo company, where a total of 69 workers were present at the time of the blast.

South Khorasan Governor Ali Akbar Rahimi confirmed that 30 out of the 47 workers in one of the blocks were found dead, while 17 were injured. The search and rescue operations are ongoing, but efforts have been hindered by gas accumulation in the mine, making it challenging to access trapped workers.

Iran’s Red Crescent is leading the rescue operations, and 17 injured workers have been transported to a hospital. Twenty-four individuals are still unaccounted for, and a rescue operation in the second block is underway, though delayed due to the high methane density in the area.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has extended his condolences to the victims’ families and ordered an investigation into the incident. First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref assured that emergency measures would be taken to support the victims and their families. The incident follows previous mine accidents in Iran, highlighting ongoing safety concerns in the country’s coal mining industry.