Death toll rises to 4, over 500 injured in massive explosion at Iranian port

A massive explosion and fire at the Shahid Rajaee port in the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas has killed at least four people and injured 502 others.

The blast occurred at the Sina Container Yard of the port, located about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) south of the capital Tehran on Saturday (April 26). The yard is operated by the Ports and Maritime Organization.

According to local media, the death toll was confirmed by Reuters.

Hossein Jafari, spokesperson for Iran's disaster management agency, blamed the explosion on poor storage of chemical containers at the port.

He said, “The chemicals inside the containers caused the explosion. Earlier, the director general of disaster management had warned the port authorities about a possible danger.”

A local disaster official said that several containers exploded, and the injured are being taken to hospitals.

Authorities are working to control the fire. Trucks have been removed from the area, and there may still be hazardous materials and chemicals present at the site.

The blast was so powerful that windows shattered several kilometers away. Fars News reported that the explosion could be heard even from Qeshm Island, 26 kilometers south of Bandar Abbas.

According to Iran’s customs authority, the Shahid Rajaee Port, located 23 kilometers east of Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan province, is the country’s most advanced seaport. It handles one-fifth of the world’s oil transport and mainly deals with container traffic, oil tanks, and petrochemical facilities.

State TV said the port is one of Iran’s major container shipment centers, managing around 80 million tons (72.5 million metric tons) of goods annually. Initial reports suggest negligence in storing flammable materials may have caused the explosion.

Al Jazeera reported that social media videos showed large clouds of black smoke and fireballs rising from the site. Other videos showed damaged buildings and vehicles, with people on the ground inspecting the destruction and helping the injured.

This explosion comes at a sensitive time, as Iranian officials continue discussions with US officials over a possible new nuclear deal.