Death toll in northeastern Iran mine blast reaches 22

The major explosion in Zemestanyurt coal mine in Azadshahr region occurred at the length of 1,400m of the mine's horizontal tunnel which has a total length of 1,800m and two stations, a provincial official announced here.

Any contact with the second station has been broken off, Reza Moravvati said.

According to the reports from the scene of explosion, 35 workers have been entrapped in the Azadshahr mine, the dead bodies of 22 of them have already been transferred or being transferred to the outside of the coal mine.

Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh who arrived here late on Wednesday to examine the incident has announced closure of the Zemestanyurt coal mine 14 km from Azadshahr city.

The closure, as Nematzadeh noted, will remain until further notice.

Expressing sympathy with the families of the victims of the coal mine balst, Nematzadeh said that the mine experts from Semnan, Mazandaran, South Khorasan and Kerman provinces have been dispatched to Golestan to provide better services for the blast-stricken people here.

Zemestanyurt coal mine in Azadshahr region, situated 90 km east of the capital city of Gorgan, with over 500 miners exploded due to the increase of the methane in the mine.

The provincial officials announced a day of mourning here on the sad event.

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