Explosion at Iran coal mine leaves dozens dead

A blast caused by a gas leak at a coal mine in eastern Iran has killed at least 51 people, state media said Sunday, with more than 20 others reported missing.

"The death toll in the Tabas mine accident increased to 51", the official IRNA news agency said, revising an earlier toll of 19 killed.

Javad Ghenaat, governor of South Khorasan province where the mine is located, told state TV that rescue teams were working to recover 22 trapped workers.

According to IRNA, "17 others were injured" in the explosion at around 9:00 pm (1730 GMT) on Saturday, when 69 workers were present at the site.

It said a leak of methane gas led to the blast in two blocks of the mine.

State TV broadcast footage of ambulances and helicopters arriving at the scene of the incident to transport the injured to hospital.

Online footage carried by IRNA showed bodies of some of the victims, wearing their work uniform, carried out of the site on mining carts.

President Masoud Pezeshkian, in remarks carried state TV before departing for the UN General Assembly in New York, offered his condolences to the families of the victims and ordered a probe into the deadly incident.

"Unfortunately, we learned that an accident occurred in one of the coal mines in Tabas and a number of our compatriots lost their lives. I offer my condolences to their respected families," Pezeshkian said.

His first vice president, Mohammad Reza Aref, spoke with cabinet members to ensure "emergency follow-up" and support for the victims and their families, IRNA said.

Iran's Red Crescent said search and rescue operations were underway in the mine, where some workers remained trapped.

But "gas accumulation in the mine" has made the search operations difficult, local prosecutor Ali Nesaei was quoted by IRNA as saying.

"Currently, the priority is to provide aid to the injured and pull people from under the rubble," Nesaei said.

He added that "the negligence and fault of the relevant agents will be dealt with" later on.

Last year, an explosion at a coal mine in the northern city of Damghan killed six people, also likely the result of methane leak according to local media.

In May 2021, two miners died in a collapse at the same site, local media reported at the time.

A blast in 2017 killed 43 miners in Azad Shahr city in northern Iran, triggering anger toward Iranian authorities.