A massive explosion shook an industrial zone in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz after a workshop used for filling and producing liquefied gas cylinders caught fire and exploded.
The IRNA news agency reported that large numbers of firefighters were dispatched to the scene and succeeded in bringing the blaze under control. The entire area was evacuated.
M., a local resident, told Israel Hayom: "It was terrifying. The blast was so powerful it was heard throughout the district. We feared war had broken out again. They say the entire factory, which covered about one square kilometer, was completely destroyed."
Video: Massive explosion rocks Shiraz, Iran
Hadi Eidipour, head of the Shiraz Fire and Rescue Department, told the agency that crews from seven stations responded with 11 firetrucks, both heavy and light. "Firefighters fought the flames strategically from three directions to prevent the fire from spreading," he said.
In recent years, poor maintenance of infrastructure and, at times, acts of sabotage by hostile elements inside Iran have caused a series of explosions. Much of the Islamic Republic's infrastructure is outdated, and Western sanctions have made it difficult for Tehran to modernize its facilities.
