At first it was feared there were 80 people trapped in the mine (Picture: Reuters)

Two people have been killed and dozens are trapped in a coal mine in Iran following an explosion.

Iranian state media said that between 40 and 50 people are currently inside the mine in the north of the country.

Another 25 people have been taken to hospital to be treated for gas inhalation.

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The IRNA news agency attributes the figure to Golestan provincial emergency management department head Sadeq Ali Moghadam.


Ambulances, helicopters and other rescue teams have been deployed to the mine in Azadshahr.

They are being supported by the Red Crescent and it is expected that there will have been some deaths.

People gather at the site of an explosion (Picture: Reuters)

A rescue mission is underway in northern Iran

Provincial spokesman Ali Yazerloo said the blast happened at 12.45pm local time (9.45am GMT) and that the provincial governor is heading to the scene.

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Several Iranian news reports said the explosion happened while workers were changing shifts.



More than 500 workers are employed at the Zemestanyurt mine, which lies nine miles from Azadshahr, according to IRNA.

In 2010 a mining disaster happened in Chile when 33 miners became trapped as a result of a cave-in. The miners spend 69 days underground before their painstakingly slow rescue.