Tehran, April 27 At least 14 people have been killed and more than 750 others injured following a massive explosion at Iran's largest commercial port in the southern province of Hormozgan, local media reported.
According to China's Consulate General in Bandar Abbas, three Chinese citizens sustained minor injuries in the explosion. They are now in good condition after receiving medical treatment.
Authorities have warned that the death toll could rise further as rescue efforts continue.
Helicopters were deployed to douse the raging fire hours after the initial explosion rocked the Shahid Rajaei port, situated over 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) south of Tehran.
However, the fire had not been fully extinguished even after several hours, and the exact cause of the explosion remains unknown, according to Iran's state news agency IRNA.
Ahmad Pouyafar, governor of Bandar Abbas, the provincial capital, announced that all educational institutions across the city would remain closed on Sunday due to the explosion and the resulting air pollution.
Hossein Zafari, spokesperson for the National Disaster Management Organization, told the semi-official Fars news agency that chemical materials stored in a container at the port were responsible for the explosion.
Meanwhile, Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani cautioned against any "hasty speculations" regarding the cause of the incident before the completion of formal investigations.
"What has been confirmed so far is that there were containers, probably containing chemical materials, in one corner of the port," she said.
Rapid reaction teams and rescue units have been dispatched to the site, and all port operations have been suspended, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
The number of injured is also expected to rise as emergency services work through the area.
With thick smoke spreading across a wide radius, schools and offices as far as 23 kilometres (14 miles) away in Bandar Abbas have been ordered shut on Sunday to help authorities manage the unfolding crisis, reported Press TV.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a post on X, expressed condolences to the victims of the explosion and announced that he had ordered an investigation into the incident.
He further said that Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni had been sent to Hormozgan province to oversee coordination efforts and attend to the injured.
In a statement, the National Iranian Oil Products Refining and Distribution Company confirmed that oil facilities in the region were not impacted by the explosion.
"The explosion and fire in Shahid Rajaei Port have no connection to refineries, fuel tanks, distribution complexes and oil pipelines related to this company," the statement said.
Videos circulating on social media showed massive plumes of black smoke and fireballs rising into the sky.
Other footage captured the widespread damage to buildings and vehicles, with several people seen helping the injured and assessing the destruction.
The Shahid Rajaei port is a vital hub for Iran, primarily handling container traffic but also housing oil tanks and other petrochemical facilities.
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