A coal mine explosion in eastern Iran has claimed the lives of at least 51 workers and injured over a dozen others, making it one of the worst mining disasters in the country’s history. The blast occurred on Saturday night in Tabas, located about 540 kilometers southeast of Tehran. Rescue efforts are ongoing, with reports indicating that 17 workers may still be trapped 200 meters underground.
Around 70 miners were present at the time of the explosion, which officials attribute to a methane gas leak. While the privately owned Mandanjoo Co. operates the Tabas Parvadeh 5 mine, details about safety measures in place remain unclear.
This incident is part of a troubling trend in Iran’s mining industry, which has seen several disasters due to lax safety standards. Previous accidents include a 2017 explosion that killed at least 42 people and various other incidents resulting in multiple fatalities.
Iran consumes approximately 3.5 million tons of coal annually but only produces about 1.8 million tons domestically, relying on imports to meet its needs, particularly for steel production.
