Tehran: At least twenty three miners have reportedly been killed and many others injured in a blast in northern Iran's Zemestan Yurt coal mine, local media reports said.
Zemestan Yurt mine near the town of Azadshahr in Golestan Province got collapsed due to an apparent explosion of methane gas on Wednesday.
At least 500 miners were working in the mine when the blast occurred.
The death toll is expected to rise as several miners are believed to be trapped inside the mine.
Iran's first Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri has directed the concerned departments to speed up the rescue operations.
—ANI
