At least 50 killed in Iran coal mine blast: State media

An explosion at a mine in eastern Iran has killed at least 51 people and injured 20, Iranian state television reported, adding that several workers were still trapped.

The blast took place due to a methane gas leak at a coal mine run by the Madanjoo company in Tabas, some 540km (335 miles) southeast of the capital, Tehran, the IRNA news agency said on Sunday.

At least 69 people were working in two blocks, B and C, of the mine when the sudden gas leak occurred at 9:00pm (1730 GMT) on Saturday, according to the report.

The rescue operation in block B has been completed. Of the 47 workers who were in the block 30 died and 17 were injured, the governor of South Khorasan Province Ali Akbar Rahimi told state TV.

Rescue operations in block C have started, he said, adding that methane density in the block is high and the operation will take around three-four hours.

“76 percent of the country’s coal is provided from this region and around 8 to 10 big companies are working in the region…,” Rahimi said.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, who was preparing to travel to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, said he ordered all efforts be made to rescue those trapped and aid their families. He added that an investigation has been launched into the incident.

This is not the first disaster to strike Iran’s mining industry. In 2017, a coal mine explosion killed at least 42 people. In 2013, 11 workers were killed in two separate mining incidents. At least 20 workers were killed in several incidents in 2009.

Lax safety standards and inadequate emergency services in mining areas are often blamed for the deaths.