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A massive explosion, suspected to have been triggered by the ignition of chemicals stored in containers at Iran’s largest port, Shahid Rajaee, killed at least four people and injured more than 500 others on Saturday, Reuters reported on Saturday, citing the Iranian state media.
The explosion occurred at the Shahid Rajaee section of the port, located in the southern city of Bandar Abbas, the report said.
Hossein Zafari, spokesperson for Iran’s Crisis Management Organization, attributed the explosion to the improper storage of chemicals in containers at the port. “The cause of the explosion was the chemicals inside the containers,” Zafari told Iran’s ILNA news agency. He also noted that warnings had previously been issued regarding the dangers at the port. “Previously, the Director General of Crisis Management had given warnings to this port during their visits and had pointed out the possibility of danger,” Zafari reportedly said.
An Iranian government spokesperson, however, said that while chemicals were likely the cause of the explosion, it was still too early to determine the exact reason behind the blast.
State-run Iranian media aired dramatic footage showing a large black and orange cloud of smoke billowing into the sky following the explosion. In the aftermath, an office building was seen with its doors blown off and papers and debris scattered on the ground, the report said.
The explosion shattered windows across a wide radius, with reports indicating that the blast was heard in Qeshm, an island located 26 kilometers (16 miles) south of Bandar Abbas. Iranian media outlets, including the semi-official Tasnim news agency, shared images of injured individuals being tended to amid scenes of chaos and confusion.
Initial reports indicated that the explosion occurred after several containers at the port detonated, with local crisis management officials citing poor handling of flammable materials as a “contributing factor” to the blast.
According to the Reuters report, the port authorities also warned that the container yard where the explosion took place likely held “dangerous goods and chemicals.”
Bandar Abbas is Iran’s largest port and serves as the main hub for the country’s containerised cargo.
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