Shristy Kamal, Pune
An explosion at a coal mine in eastern Iran resulted in the deaths of 30 miners and the injuries of 17. 24 miners are still reported missing. The explosion was caused by a methane gas leak in two blocks, B and C which are run by the Madanjoo company. as reported by the Iranian state television on Sunday.
The incident took place at a coal mine in Tabas, which is around 540 kilometers (335 miles) southeast of Tehran. There were around seventy workers at the site when the explosion happened late on Saturday night. In order to handle the disaster’s aftermath, emergency services were dispatched to the area. President Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran’s new reformist, has ordered an investigation into the incident.
Rich in many other natural resources including coal, Iran is known for its oil production. Though it produces only 11. 8 million tons domestically, the nation consumes about 30. 5 million tons of coal annually. The majority of the imported coal is utilized in Iran’s steel industry to make up for the shortage. Even though Iran has an abundance of natural resources, the country’s mining industry has been plagued by a number of fatal accidents that are frequently linked to subpar safety procedures and insufficient emergency planning. This recent disaster is not the only one that has occurred when it comes to mining.
Over the past few decades Iran has witnessed several mining disasters. At least 42 coal miners lost their lives in an explosion in 2017. Similarly two distinct mishaps in 2013 claimed the lives of eleven miners and multiple incidents claimed the lives of twenty more in 2009.
The recurrent incidents have brought attention to the ongoing problem of inadequate safety protocols and safeguards for laborers in Iran’s mining sector. The Iranian government has been under fire on several occasions for failing to implement stronger safety regulations and for the slow emergency services response in both rural and industrial areas.
The families of the victims are demanding protection for miners who work in dangerous conditions and accountability which has caused public outrage. Many of them will be pleading with the government to give them safety and welfare of its workforce in the nation’s major mining sector.