An explosion at a mine in eastern Iran has killed over fifty-one people and injured twenty, with several workers still trapped.

The blast took place due to a methane gas leak at a coal mine run by the Madanjoo company in Tabas, some five hundred and forty kilometers southeast of the capital, Tehran.

At least sixty-nine people were working in two blocks, B and C, of the mine when the sudden gas leak occurred.
The rescue operation in block B has been completed.

Of the forty-seven workers who were in the block, thirty died and seventeen were injured.

Seventy-six percent of the country’s coal is provided from this region and around eight to ten big companies are working in the region.