A devastating explosion caused by a gas leak at a coal mine in Tabas, eastern Iran, has killed at least 51 people, marking one of the deadliest workplace accidents in the country in years, according to state media.
The blast occurred on Saturday night around 9:00pm local time (1730 GMT) at the mine in South Khorasan province.
According to reports, approximately 70 workers were present at the site during the incident and 20 others were injured.
Earlier reports placed the death toll at 30, but officials have since confirmed the number of deceased has risen to 51, as more bodies were recovered.
State media reports indicate that the explosion was caused by a methane gas leak in two sections of the mine, owned by the private Iranian firm Madanjoo.
The deadly blast trapped workers about 250 meters (820 feet) below the surface, complicating rescue efforts due to the concentration of methane gas in the chambers.
Footage broadcast by state TV showed emergency services, including ambulances and helicopters, rushing to the site to transport the injured to nearby hospitals. Video shared by IRNA, Iran’s official news agency, depicted the grim scenes as the bodies of some victims, still clad in their work uniforms, were pulled out of the mine on carts.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed his condolences to the victims’ families before departing for the UN General Assembly in New York, ordering a full investigation into the cause of the explosion.
Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, who is en route to the disaster site, indicated that a “gas condensation” is likely the cause of the explosion.
Three days of public mourning have been declared in South Khorasan province as rescue teams continue efforts to recover remaining bodies.
The Iranian Red Crescent confirmed that search and rescue operations are ongoing, though gas accumulation is complicating the retrieval of trapped workers.
Iran’s coal industry has been plagued by accidents in recent years. Last year, a similar explosion in the northern city of Damghan killed six miners, and in 2017, a blast in Azad Shahr claimed 43 lives.
The Tabas mine, considered one of the richest and largest coal deposits in Iran, spans over 30,000 square kilometres and holds vast reserves of both cooking and thermal coal.
Tragic coal mine explosion in Iran claims over 50 lives