Following the explosion of Tabas coal mine in South Khorasan, Iran, 51 miners and 20 other people have sustained serious injuries or died. This was announced by the Director General of Crisis Management for South Khorasan Province and the Head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society.
How Did It Happen?
The Tabas coal mine, operated by the Madanjoo Company, contributes approximately 76% of the nation's total output, and its explosion happened due to methane gas leak in Blocks B and C of the mine, which is located about 540 kilometers southeast of Tehran.
Sadly, this is one of many workplace accidents in Iran. Between March and August 2024, over 400 workers in Mazandaran Province were either killed or injured in workplace accidents according to official figures.
Furthermore, official data from the Forensic Medicine Organization reveals that between March 2023 and March 2024, 2,115 people lost their lives in work-related accidents which is a 11.3% increase compared to the previous year (2022 to 2023). Despite these figures, experts argue that this is only a fraction of the reality, as many workplace accidents go unreported because these workers can be unregistered, uninsured, or the incidents may be downplayed by the employers to avoid repercussions.
How is the Country Responding?
South Khorasan Governor Javad Ghenaat said that rescue teams were working to recover the remaining bodies while Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, who was en route to Tabas, described the cause of the gas explosion as “gas condensation.”
Iran’s President, Masoud Pezeshkian, went on to express his condolences to the victims’ families and ordered an investigation into the incident before departing for the UN General Assembly in New York.
“Unfortunately, we learned of the accident at one of the coal mines in Tabas, where several of our compatriots lost their lives. I offer my condolences to their grieving families,” Pezeshkian said.
Also, following this tragic event, authorities have declared three days of public mourning in the eastern province, local media reported.
How about Trapped Workers?
Iran’s Red Crescent said search and rescue operations were still happening at the mine, where some workers remained trapped. However, their exact number remains unknown.
According to IRNA, the trapped workers were located about 250 meters (820 feet) below the surface, cut off from rescuers by chambers filled with concentrated methane gas. The accumulation of this has complicated search efforts, local prosecutor Ali Nesaei told IRNA.
‘‘Currently, the priority is to aid the injured and retrieve people from under the rubble,” Nesaei added.
Closing Notes
The explosion of the Tabas coal mine, which is considered the richest and largest coal area in Iran points at more sinister happenings as regards building conditions and the worth of human life.
After visiting the Iranian coal mine, a former 30,000 km² (11,600 square miles) which is now a shadow of its former self, Ali Nesaei mentioned that negligence of the relevant personnel led to this disaster. Hopefully this incident will curb horrible working conditions and practices for Iranian workers.