At least 10 people lost their lives following a fuel tanker explosion in western Iran on Saturday, according to reports from Iranian national broadcast media (IRIB). The incident occurred on the highway connecting Hamedan and Sanandaj.
Sanandaj Governor Mohammad Reza Poursaidi told Reuters that the crash was caused by a technical failure in the tanker’s braking system. The explosion resulted in at least six additional injuries, with officials noting that casualty figures remain preliminary. Local authorities successfully contained the resulting fire shortly after the accident.
This tragedy underscores the persistent dangers of road transport in Iran, where aging vehicle fleets, poor infrastructure, and heavy freight traffic frequently lead to severe collisions. In 2018, a similar accident near Sanandaj claimed 13 lives when a fuel tanker struck a bus stopping to pick up passengers.
Statistics highlight the severity of the issue: UNICEF reports that Iran’s traffic crash rate is 20 times the global average, attributed to inadequate road conditions and lax traffic enforcement. A 2017 report by the Financial Tribune estimated that more than 20,000 people are killed annually in road accidents across the country, with 800,000 others injured.
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