Deadly Fuel Tanker Explosion Kills Ten in Western Iran

At least six others were injured in the explosion along the Hamedan-Sanandaj highway, authorities stated.

At least 10 people died in a fuel tanker explosion in western Iran, according to state broadcast media (IRIB).

Saturday’s explosion was triggered by a road collision on the Hamedan-Sanandaj highway.

A technical fault in the braking system of the vehicle hauling the tanker caused the accident, said the governor of Sanandaj, the capital of Kurdistan province, per Reuters.

The governor added that at least six others were injured, noting that casualty figures were preliminary.

Local officials stated that the ensuing fire was quickly contained, but withheld further details regarding the victims’ identities.

This deadly incident adds to Iran’s long history of fatal tanker and bus collisions, as poor road conditions, aging vehicle fleets, and heavy freight traffic continue to make such accidents a recurring hazard.

In 2018, at least 13 people died when a fuel tanker slammed into a bus stopped to pick up passengers near Sanandaj.

UNICEF reported that Iran’s traffic crash rate is 20 times the global average, citing poor roads and lax enforcement.

A 2017 report by the Tehran-based Financial Tribune noted that over 20,000 people are killed and 800,000 injured in road accidents in Iran each year.

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