The explosion at the Ghadir Steel Smelter has claimed two more lives as two more workers have succumbed to injuries sustained during the incident.
ILNA reported the death of the two workers today, which raises the explosion’s death toll to 12.
Yesterday, two other wounded workers died in hospital, and the remaining eight injured workers are still reported in critical condition.
The explosion occurred on Sunday evening, and the cause is still under investigation.
The Yazd representative in Parliament announced that such incidents have precedents, and the Minister of Work and Social Welfare must be held accountable for them.
Parliament’s Labour Faction issued a statement saying: “This recent catastrophe reveals once more that less attention is being paid to worker’s safety, and employers are bearing the lowest possible costs with regard to the most important article of labour laws, which is workplace safety.”
The announcement claims the explosion was caused by “explosives present in scrap iron that was thrown in the melting pot.” The Labour Faction adds that this is evidence of gross negligence on behalf of plant officials.
Yazd’s Ghadir Steel Smelter was launched last May, with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in attendance. It is said to directly employ 150 workers with another 1,500 workers benefiting indirectly.
