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Thursday, May 04, 2017, 11:56
Report: Iran coal mine explosion kills 35
By Reuters
Thursday, May 04, 2017, 11:56 By Reuters

Coal miners and rescue workers gather at the scene following an explosion in a coal mine in Azadshahr, in northern Iran, leaving dozens of miners trapped on May 3, 2017. Mostafa Hassanzadeh / Tasnim News / AFP)

ANKARA – An explosion in a coal mine in northern Iran on Wednesday killed at least 35 workers and injured scores, state media reported.

The blast occurred at 12:45 pm local time (0745 GMT) in the Zemestanyurt mine when workers tried to jump-start a locomotive.

Ali Rabiei, minister of cooperatives, labor and social welfare was quoted as saying by semi-official Tasnim news agency that 35 miners have died in the incident.

Iranian media said more than 30 of the injured were transferred to nearby hospitals.

The semi-official Fars news agency reported earlier that more than 50 workers were trapped in a two-kilometer-long tunnel filled with gas that hampered rescue efforts.

The mine has 500 workers and the explosion happened during a change of shift, Fars reported.

In this picture released by the Tasnim News Agency, miners and rescue personnel carry an injured mine worker after a coal mine explosion, near Azadshahr in northern Iran, May, 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Tasnim News Agency, Mostafa Hassanzadeh)

President Hassan Rouhani has sent Minister of Labour and Welfare to the mine in order to oversee the rescue operations and treatment of victims, state news agency IRNA reported.

Iran extracted 1.68 million tons of coal in 2016, an increase on previous years, thanks to an easing of international sanctions. It uses most in domestic steel production and exports only a fraction.


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