More than 50 people died and 20 were injured in an explosion in a coal mine in the east of Iran caused by a methane leak, the authorities announced today a new account of the accident.
"The number of dead workers rose to 51 and injured to 20 in the accident that happened on Saturday evening in the Tabas mine in Korasan province in the south," the official news agency IRNA reported.
The accident was caused by a methane leak that led to an explosion in two blocks of the mine, where there were about 70 miners, according to the agency.
The governor of the province, Javad Genat, told state television that rescue teams had been trying for hours after the tragedy to save the trapped people.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Kamenei expressed his condolences to the families of the victims after that "sad incident" and called on the authorities to do everything they can to save the trapped miners, IRNA reported.
Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, who came to the scene of the accident, told television that the rescue operation could last until tomorrow.
State television broadcasts images of ambulances and helicopters transporting the wounded to hospitals in the province.
Before leaving for the UN General Assembly session in New York, Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkiyan ordered an investigation.
Iran consumes about 3.5 million tons of coal annually, but extracts only about 1.8 million tons annually from its mines.
This is not the first disaster to hit Iran's mining industry.
In 2013, 11 workers died in two separate mining incidents. In 2009, 20 workers died in several incidents.
At least 2017 people died in an explosion in a coal mine in 42.
Fatalities are often blamed on poor safety standards and inadequate emergency services in mining areas.
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