Mine explosion in Golestan Province: "26 workers" trapped in Yurt coal mine
Reports indicate that at least 15 workers were injured and at least 26 workers were "trapped" in an explosion at the Azadshahr mine in Golestan Province on Wednesday, May 4.
The Telegram channel of the Entebbe website also reported that the bodies of two workers had been pulled from the rubble. However, the authorities have not yet confirmed this report.
According to the Iranian Students News Agency, ISNA, Shahin Fathi, deputy director of relief and rescue operations for the Red Crescent Society, announced that 15 workers were injured in an explosion at the Azadshahr mine that occurred at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
According to Mr. Fathi, 55 workers were working in the mine, 40 of whom were "trapped" in the mine.
The latest IRNA report, quoting Sadegh Ali Moghadam, Director General of the Golestan Governorate's Crisis Management Office, indicates that a number of these workers have been rescued, but 26 other workers are still trapped in the Yurt mine.
This comes while Fars News Agency, citing an emergency official, reported the possibility of 80 workers being imprisoned in the mine.
According to Fars News Agency, Pirhossein Kolivand, head of the country's emergency services, said that the mine has two parts, with 40 people "trapped" in one part and another 30 to 40 people on the other side of the mine.
The Iranian Broadcasting Corporation also announced that 18 workers were injured in the incident and 50 workers were "trapped" in the mine.
Meanwhile, the deputy governor of Azadshahr County has announced that the "severity of the incident was high" and that rescue forces are now being dispatched to the scene.
Gholamreza Ghazavi emphasized that there is a need for more relief forces and that coordination is underway with neighboring cities and the capital of Golestan province to dispatch reinforcements.
According to the official IRNA news agency, Ali Nasiri, one of the officials at the Azadshahr mine, also said that the explosion occurred during a shift change and "we are concerned about the health of the workers."
500 workers work in the Azadshahr coal mine, which is located 14 kilometers from Azadshahr and 90 kilometers east of Gorgan, the capital of Golestan province.
In previous years, a number of Iranian mine workers have been killed or injured in accidents while working.
For example, in 2014, five people were killed in an explosion at the "Qala'eh Kharboghi" granite mine in Ardakan, Yazd Province.
In March 2013, a gas explosion in the "Cheshmeh Pudneh" coal mine in Kohbanan killed three people and injured six other miners.
Source: Radio Farda
