Coal Mine Explosion in Iran Claims at Least 38 Lives, 14 Still Missing
TEHRAN, Iran — The death toll from a coal mine explosion in eastern Iran has risen to at least 38, with another 14 miners still trapped underground, officials confirmed on Monday. The blast occurred on Saturday night at a mine in Tabas, approximately 540 kilometers (335 miles) southeast of the capital, Tehran.
Rescue workers recovered the bodies of more victims throughout the day, bringing the total number of confirmed fatalities to 38. Images from the scene showed weeping miners standing alongside mine cars that brought up the bodies of their colleagues, covered in coal dust.
Survivors interviewed by Iranian state television described chaotic scenes after the blast. One miner, still smudged in coal dust, said they were working when they noticed smoke rising and difficulty breathing. “I jumped off from the workshop and I scrambled until I reached somewhere (safe). My friends (remained) in there,” the miner said.
According to authorities, a sudden leak of methane gas triggered the explosion as workers began their shift. While mine gas checks conducted on Saturday night showed no leakage prior to the incident, the recovered bodies exhibited no signs of blast injuries, suggesting that many workers succumbed to the gas before the explosion.
Despite the prevalence of such gases in mining operations, modern safety measures emphasize ventilation and other precautions to protect workers. However, the safety procedures in place at the privately owned Tabas Parvadeh 5 mine, operated by Mandanjoo Co., remain unclear. The firm could not be reached for comment.
Iran’s new reformist president, Masoud Pezeshkian, who is preparing to travel to New York for the U.N. General Assembly, expressed his condolences and ordered all available resources to be dedicated to rescuing those trapped and supporting their families. He also announced the initiation of an investigation into the explosion.
“I spoke with the ministers of health, interior and security and ordered that the issues of the families of the victims and the injured be quickly resolved,” Pezeshkian said in a statement. “I also requested to take measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents by improving work standards in the country’s mines.”
This tragic incident marks another mining disaster in Iran. In 2017, a similar explosion in a coal mine in Iran’s northern Golestan province claimed the lives of at least 42 people. Lax safety standards and inadequate emergency services in mining areas have been frequently cited as contributing factors in these fatal incidents.
Iran, an oil-producing country, boasts abundant mineral resources. Despite an annual coal consumption of around 3.5 million tons, the nation only extracts about 1.8 million tons from its mines per year, with the remaining portion imported, primarily for use in steel mills.