Rescue Efforts Hampered by Gas Accumulation in Mine
At a coal mine in eastern Iran, a methane gas explosion killed at least 51 people and injured 20, CNN reported on the 22nd (local time), citing local state media.
According to reports, the accident occurred around 9 p.m. the previous day at a coal mine in Tabas, South Khorasan Province, located approximately 540 km southeast of Tehran, the capital of Iran.
Eskandar Momeni, Iran's Minister of Interior, announced to state media that at least 31 people had died and 16 were injured, but local media reported that the death toll had risen to 51.
Methane gas leaked and exploded in two blocks of a private mine operated by the local mining company Madanju, and it was reported that 69 people were working 250 meters underground at the time of the accident. The Iranian Red Crescent (IRC) explained, "The concentration of accumulated methane gas inside the mine is high, making rescue efforts difficult."
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said, "I have spoken with the ministers and will do my best to take follow-up measures," expressing condolences to the families of the victims. The South Khorasan provincial authorities declared a three-day mourning period.
This is not the first time such a tragedy has occurred in Iran's mining industry. In 2017, an explosion at a coal mine killed at least 42 people. In 2013 and 2009, multiple accidents resulted in more than 30 deaths. The Associated Press pointed to "lax safety standards and poor emergency service conditions in mining areas" as causes of the spread of such accidents.
Iran consumes about 3.5 million tons of coal annually. It mines 1.8 million tons domestically each year and imports the rest. Ali Akbar Rahimi, governor of South Khorasan Province, explained, "76% of the country's coal is supplied from this region, and 8 to 10 major companies, including Madanju, operate in this area."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
