A gas explosion in a coal mine in Iran’s South Khorasan Province resulted in the deaths of at least 51 individuals and left 20 injured, according to state media reports. The blast occurred in two blocks, B and C, of the mine operated by the Madanjoo company. South Khorasan Province’s governor stated that a significant portion of the nation’s coal supply comes from this region, with several large companies, including Madanjoo, operating in the area.
Rescue efforts have been completed in block B, with 30 workers dead and 17 injured out of the 47 who were present during the explosion. Rescue operations are ongoing in block C, where the methane gas density is high, and it is estimated to take 3-4 hours to complete. At the time of the incident, there were a total of 69 workers in the two blocks.
Seventeen injured individuals have been hospitalized, while 24 individuals remain missing. The explosion took place at 9 p.m. local time on Saturday. President Masoud Pezeshkian extended condolences to the families of the victims and assured that the government would make every effort to provide support and investigate the incident further.
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