Iranian Home Minister Eskandar Momeni, who traveled to Bandar Abbas to personally investigate the aspects of the explosion of Shahid Rajae Port, said 80% of the fire service at Shahid Rajae Port had been completed on Sunday.
The final cleanup is expected to end in the next few hours, he added.
The powerful explosion at Shahid Rajaee port in southern Iran has caused extensive damage and casualties, allowing emergency teams to rush to the scene to control the situation.
Home Minister Escandar Momeni said the number of deaths from the explosion has risen to 14.
“Unfortunately, 700-750 people have been injured so far,” he added, noting that 212 of the injured people had undergone outpatient treatment.
The explosion occurred after a fuel tanker exploded on Saturday at Shahid Rajaee port in Hormozgan’s province for unknown reasons.
The injured were moved to Hormozgan Hospital.
The Hormozgan crisis management director said the explosion was very strong, but the cause has not yet been determined.
The first report shows that the blast occurred in the management buildings within the port complex. The explosion was so intense that it completely destroyed the management building and severely damaged many vehicles.
Babak Mahmoudi, head of Iran’s rescue and rescue team, previously confirmed to press television that four people had died in the massive explosion at Shahid Rajaye.
“So far, 516 people have been injured and evacuated from the site. Some of them have been injured with broken glass, most of them being superficially scarred, they have been released and four have been confirmed to have been dead so far on this site.
He said the fire is still ongoing and firefighters are about to put it out and expressing hope that they can control the situation in the coming hours.
Mahmoudi further explained that the explosion took place around 11:55 local time, adding that several relief teams and rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the scene.
“Helicopters were also deployed to put out the fire,” he said, noting that another helicopter was dispatched for emergency services.
Following the incident, all port operations were suspended as security and emergency teams worked to secure the area. Authorities quickly declared an emergency at the hospital in Bandar Abbas, preparing for the possibility of a mass casualty.
The President issues specific orders to deal with incidents
In a call with the Minister of Home Affairs and the governor of Hormozgan, President Pezeschkian issued certain directives to facilitate responses.
He ordered immediate, coordinated measures to assist injured people, prioritized the site for the prompt dispatch of medical devices and paramedics, and required all relevant government agencies and relief organizations to mobilize resources fully to minimize the outcome of the incident.
The Chief Executive also appointed the Minister of Home Affairs to travel to Bandar Abbas to oversee the responses, investigate various aspects of the case and submit a comprehensive report.
Momeni has been further assigned to implement necessary measures based on evolving circumstances, including crisis management, securing the area and speeding up repairs and reopening of Shahid Rajaee ports.
Meanwhile, the President has emphasized the need for a comprehensive and thorough investigation of the reasons behind the explosion to prevent similar events in the future, having received initial reports and evaluations of possible causes of the incident.
Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bugger Karibahu has announced the creation of a special committee that includes members from four professional parliamentary committees on civil, national security, interior affairs and health.
The committee is tasked with conducting on-site investigations to assess the situation and assess response efforts, he said.
Their mission includes providing detailed and transparent reports on the handling of the cases and the performance of relevant authorities to Congress.
Commenting on the tragic developments, Esmaeil Baghaei wrote on former Twitter X:
“We want the Merciful God to give patience and strength to the families of our victims, and to seek prompt recovery and complete healing for all those injured in the incident.”