Four missing and three injured after fuel tank explosion in Charmshahr, Qazvin

The explosion of six "fuel tanks" in the Charmshahr industrial area of ​​Qazvin on the border between the cities of Boyin Zahra and Eshtehard, which occurred on the morning of Thursday, January 13, led to a fire so widespread that black smoke covered the southwestern part of Alborz province.

The news reports described the location of the explosion as "an oil refinery."

Mohammad Reza Fallahnejad, Director General of Alborz Province's Crisis Management, said in an interview with Tasnim News Agency, referring to the extensive presence of firefighters at the scene, that the fire occurred in an industrial unit "outside" Alborz Province.

Sohail Soltan, head of the Qazvin Emergency Medical Center, also said that the fire was accompanied by an explosion.
According to Mojtaba Khalid, spokesman for the country's emergency services, three people have been injured in the incident so far, and according to eyewitnesses and rescue workers, four people are likely missing.

No news has yet been released about possible casualties in the incident.

Mr. Khalidi also said that the fire in this production unit occurred due to an explosion in tanks containing hydrocarbons during welding.

Meanwhile, Hassan Asefi, director of the Qazvin Province Red Crescent, said that the incident occurred due to the explosion of six fuel tanks and led to a widespread fire.

The intensity of the fire in the Charmshahr industrial area was so great that, according to reports, the fire had not been fully contained by Thursday afternoon.

Following the fire, the Director General of Environmental Protection of Alborz Province announced that the air quality in Eshtehard County in the province has become red and unhealthy for all groups.

Explosions and fires in manufacturing and industrial units, which are usually accompanied by casualties, make headlines in Iran from time to time.

Employers' disregard for occupational safety principles and the lack of supervision over the implementation of these principles by responsible organizations are among the reasons for these accidents.

Source: Radio Farda