Methane explosion in Iranian coal mine claims at least 51 lives

At least 51 people were killed and 20 injured in a gas explosion at a coal mine in Iran's South Khorasan province, Iranian state media reported on Sunday.

The explosion occurred at 9 p.m. local time on Saturday, state media reported.

The cause of the accident was a methane gas explosion in two blocks of the mine operated by the Madanjoo company.

At the time of the explosion, 69 workers were in the blocks, state television reported.

A rescue operation in one of the two blocks of houses has been completed. 30 of the 47 workers who were in this block during the explosion have died, said the governor of South Khorasan, Ali Akbar Rahimi, on state television on Sunday. Seventeen were injured.

The Iranian Red Crescent said search and rescue operations were underway at the mine, where some workers were still trapped.

But the “accumulation of gas in the mine” has made search efforts more difficult, local prosecutor Ali Nesaei was quoted as saying by IRNA.

“The priority right now is to provide assistance to the injured and rescue people from under the rubble,” Nesaei said.

“Seventeen injured people were taken to hospital and 24 people are still missing,” state media reported, citing the head of the Iranian Red Crescent.

Another rescue operation in the second block is underway but is delayed by the high methane density in the area.

“Seventy-six percent of the country’s coal comes from this region and about eight to ten major companies operate in the region, including Madanjoo,” said Mr Rahimi.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed his condolences to the families of the explosion victims and ordered an investigation into the incident.

“Unfortunately, we have learned that an accident has occurred in one of the coal mines in Tabas and several of our compatriots have lost their lives. I express my condolences to their families,” Mr Pezeshkian said in a speech broadcast on state television.

First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref spoke with cabinet members to ensure “emergency care” and support for the victims and their families, IRNA said.

Mr Nesaei said that “the negligence and fault of the agents concerned will be dealt with later”.

An explosion at a coal mine in the northern town of Damghan killed six people last year. According to local media reports, the explosion was also probably the result of a methane leak.

Two miners were killed in a collapse at the same site in May 2021, local media reported at the time.

Reuters/AFP