A deadly 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, state media reported on Sunday. The explosion occurred in two sections of the mine operated by the Madanjoo company, which is located in a region responsible for 76 per cent of the country’s coal production.
South Khorasan Governor Ali Akbar Rahimi confirmed that rescue operations have concluded in block B of the mine, where 30 out of the 47 workers were found dead, and 17 others were injured. Rescue efforts continue in block C, where high methane levels pose additional risks, with operations expected to take three to four hours.
At the time of the explosion, 69 workers were inside the affected blocks. Of the injured, 17 have been transported to local hospitals, while 24 individuals remain unaccounted for. The explosion occurred at 9 p.m. local time on Saturday.
In response to the tragedy, President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed condolences to the victims’ families and pledged a thorough investigation into the incident.
(with inputs from Reuters)