Iran coal mine blast toll increase to 42

Tehran, May 9 (IANS) The death toll in a coal mine blast in Iran's Golestan province rose to 42 as rescue teams retrieved seven more bodies on Tuesday, officials said.

The newly recovered bodies have been taken for forensic identification, Xinhua news agency quoted a provincial official as saying.

Accumulation of methane gas at the Zemestanyurt coal mine in Azad-Shahr city triggered the blast on May 3 and killed 35 miners who were working at a depth of 1,200 metres.

Twenty-two bodies were found on Sunday and 13 more on Monday, Press TV reported.

The explosion also left 73 other workers injured.

The mine commenced operations 13 years ago, and there were reports that the equipment being used was in dire need of repair or replacement.

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