TEHRAN (Iran) A blast ripped through a gasoline pipe and an oil pump house in Iran's Southwest Tuesday, killing three workers and injuring four more, according to local media.According to multiple news outlets including the semi-official Mehr agency, the blast occurred at Einkhosh, which is located 500 km (310 miles) southwest Tehran. It was unclear what the condition of the injured workers was at that time. The scene was captured in a photo that was widely shared. It showed a body covered with a blanket and next to a burned building, which apparently served as a rest area for workers at the pumphouse.However, the reports didn't specify the cause of explosion. These incidents are common in the country's old oil and gas infrastructure. This raises questions about worker safety. These facilities are not equipped with spare parts and suffer from poor maintenance, as well as years of severe American sanctions.Sometimes, the scorching summer heat has set off fires, sometimes exceeding 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit in some desert areas).Authorities stated that they would redirect oil from the affected area via pipelines to other facilities located in southern Khuzestan province, which is oil-rich.After temperatures reached above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) last month, a petrochemical plant south of Tehran was set on fire.
