A fuel tanker exploded in western Iran, killing 11 people and injuring seven others, according to state media reports. The incident took place on an intercity route connecting Sanandaj County in Kurdestan province with Hamedan County in Hamedan province.
The tanker reportedly collided with other vehicles before the blast, which also set several nearby cars on fire. Emergency teams rushed to the scene and began rescue operations, while the injured were taken to a medical facility in Sanandaj for treatment.
Fuel tanker blast sets nearby vehicles on fire
According to IRIB, the explosion occurred after the fuel tanker was involved in a traffic collision on the intercity route. Babak Hodaei, head of emergency medical services at Kurdestan University of Medical Sciences, said several adjacent automobiles were also ignited in the blast.
The accident caused multiple casualties, with 11 people losing their lives and seven others sustaining injuries. Emergency responders transported those injured to a medical facility in Sanandaj, according to Xinhua news agency.
Rescue and emergency operations at the location were continuing after the incident, while authorities worked to assess the full impact of the crash.
Faulty brakes reportedly blamed in initial account
Earlier reports from Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency said a fuel tanker had hit other vehicles before bursting into flames near a traffic police station close to Sanandaj.
The report attributed the accident to a faulty brake system. The latest state media account placed the crash on an intercity route linking areas in Kurdestan and Hamedan provinces.
The available reports did not provide further details about the identities of those killed or the condition of the seven injured people beyond confirming that they were taken to hospital.
Deadly tanker crash recalls 2018 Sanandaj tragedy
The latest incident has also brought back memories of a similar deadly accident near Sanandaj.
In 2018, a fuel tanker collided with an intercity passenger bus near the city, killing 15 people and injuring four others. The earlier tragedy had highlighted the dangers associated with fuel tankers and other heavy vehicles on the country’s roads.
Road and traffic accidents continue to cause a high number of deaths in Iran each year. Experts have previously pointed to unsafe vehicles, disregard for traffic rules and inadequate emergency services as factors contributing to the country’s high road accident fatality rate.
Separate tensions around Strait of Hormuz
The latest tanker explosion comes amid wider tensions involving Iranian oil tankers and shipping routes in the region.
Earlier in July, an oil tanker reportedly detonated in the Strait of Hormuz after hitting a naval mine, according to local media reports. The vessel had reportedly struck the explosive device after drifting away from routes established by Tehran. Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency said the ship had left designated channels and entered an area restricted for safe maritime transit despite prior warnings.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and is a major energy corridor for oil and liquefied natural gas shipments from Gulf producers.
Separately, the United States said its forces struck three Iranian crude oil carriers on September 5. US Central Command said the action followed an attack in which Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched ballistic missiles towards two US Navy warships patrolling regional waters.
CENTCOM said an American aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer managed to evade multiple incoming attacks without any US personnel being injured.
The developments underline the heightened risks surrounding fuel transportation and maritime traffic in the region, even as the latest deadly tanker explosion in western Iran remains under investigation.
(With inputs from AP, ANI)
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