Iran brings fire under control after deadly blast at key port

TEHRAN: Authorities in the Islamic Republic said that firefighters have brought a blaze at Iran’s main port under control, following a deadly explosion blamed on negligence.

On Saturday, the explosion hit a dock at the southern port of Shahid Rajaee, and people heard it from dozens of kilometers (miles) away. State media reported that the blast and ensuing fire killed at least 70 people and injured more than 1,000 others, causing extensive damage.

Red Crescent official Mokhtar Salahshour told the channel late Monday that they had “contained” the fire and were now conducting a clean-up.

State television aired live footage on Tuesday showing thick smoke rising from containers stacked at the port.

Iran’s ILNA news agency quoted Hossein Zafari, spokesman for the country’s crisis management organization, saying that the situation had improved significantly since Monday.

However, “the operation and complete extinguishing process may take around 15 to 20 days”, the agency reported.

According to the IRNA news agency, Iran’s customs authority confirmed that port operations had returned to normal.

The port of Shahid Rajaee lies near the major coastal city of Bandar Abbas on the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which one-fifth of global oil output passes. Hormozgan provincial governor Mohammad Ashouri ruled out sabotage as the cause.

“The set of hypotheses and investigations carried out during the process indicated that the sabotage theory lacks basis or relevance,” he told state television late Monday.

The port’s customs office stated that the blast may have started in a depot storing hazardous and chemical materials.

Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni said that “shortcomings, including noncompliance with safety precautions and negligence,” contributed to the incident. A committee assigned to investigate the blast cited similar factors as the likely cause.