Reuters :
A gas explosion in a coal mine in Iran’s South Khorasan Province killed at least 51 people and injured 20, Iran’s state media said on Sunday.
The accident was caused by a methane gas explosion in two blocks, B and C, of the mine run by the Madanjoo company, state media said.
“76% of the country’s coal is provided from this region and around 8 to 10 big companies are working in the region including Madanjoo company,” the governor of South Khorasan Province Ali Akbar Rahimi told state TV on Sunday.
The rescue operation in block B has been completed. Of the 47 workers who were in the block 30 died and 17 were injured, Rahimi said earlier.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed condolences to the victims’ families.
“I spoke with ministers and we will do our best to follow up,” Pezeshkian said in televised comments.
The Tabas mine covers an area of more than 30,000 square kilometres (nearly 11,600 square miles) and holds mass reserves of coking and thermal coal, according to IRNA.
It is “considered the richest and largest coal area in Iran,” IRNA said.
Local prosecutor Ali Nesaei was quoted by state media as saying “gas accumulation in the mine” has made search operations difficult.
“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” at a later date.
Rescue operations in block C have started. Methane density in the block is high and the operation will take around 3-4 hours, he added.
There were 69 workers in the blocks at the time of the explosion, state TV reported.
“Seventeen injured people were transported to the hospital and 24 people are still missing,” it said earlier on Sunday citing the head of Iran’s Red Crescent.