At least 30 dead after explosion at Iran coal mine, state TV says

TEHRAN, Iran — 

A methane leak sparked an detonation astatine a ember excavation successful eastbound Iran, sidesplitting astatine slightest 30 radical and injuring 17 others, Iranian authorities media reported Sunday. Another 24 miners are believed to beryllium trapped inside.

The study said the deaths happened astatine a ember excavation successful Tabas, immoderate 540 kilometers southeast of the capital, Tehran.

Authorities were sending exigency unit to the country aft the blast precocious Saturday, it said. Around 70 radical had been moving determination astatine the clip of the blast. State TV aboriginal said 24 were believed to beryllium trapped inside.

Provincial Governor Mohammad Javad Qenaat told authorities TV that 30 miners had been killed and 17 injured.

Iran's caller reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, preparing to question to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, said helium ordered each efforts beryllium made to rescue those trapped and assistance their families. He besides said an probe into the incidental had begun.

Oil-producing Iran is besides affluent successful a assortment of minerals. Iran annually consumes immoderate 3.5 cardinal tons of ember but lone extracts astir 1.8 cardinal tons from its mines per year. The remainder is imported, often consumed successful the country's alloy mills.

This is not the archetypal catastrophe to onslaught Iran's mining industry. In 2013, 11 workers were killed successful 2 abstracted mining incidents. In 2009, 20 workers were killed successful respective incidents. In 2017, a ember excavation detonation killed astatine slightest 42 people.

Lax information standards and inadequate exigency services successful mining areas are often blamed for the fatalities.