Tehran: At least 30 people were killed and a large number of people were injured in an explosion caused by a methane gas leak in a coal mine in eastern Iran. Iran's state media gave this information in a report on Sunday. State news agency 'IRNA' reported that the accident took place late Saturday night in a coal mine located in Tabas, about 335 km south-east of the capital Tehran, in which 30 people were killed. It said that the authorities have sent emergency workers to the spot. About 70 people were working in the mine at the time of the accident.

The President expressed grief

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian offered condolences to the victims' families. "I spoke to ministers and we are doing our best to find out the cause of the blast," Pezeshkian said in a television interview. "17 injured people were taken to hospital and 24 people are still missing," state TV quoted the head of Iran's Red Crescent as saying. 

Accidents have happened before

Such accidents have happened in Iran's coal mines before as well. In 2013, accidents occurred in two different mines. 11 workers died in these accidents. Earlier in 2009, a similar accident occurred in which 20 people lost their lives. In 2017 also, an explosion took place in a coal mine, in which at least 42 people died.