A gas pipeline explosion near Iran 's northeastern city of Mashhad in Khorasan Razavi province, killed at least one people and injured dozens, local media reported Saturday.
The blast occurred in the Mazdavand region, 90 km from Mashhad, when an excavator struck a pipeline which transports gas from the Khangiran refinery in Sarakhs to Mashhad, Alireza Gharibi, director of Iran Gas Engineering and Development Company, was quoted by the local satellite Press TV as saying.
Governor of Sarakhs Ali-Reza Boustani Golestani has confirmed the death of only one worker, said the official IRNA news agency.
However, the semi-official Mehr news agency has reported the death of two workers in the site and injuries of several others.
"All the injured have been transferred to a hospital in Mashhad and are receiving treatment," Alireza Gharibi said, adding that " the incident has caused no further damages."
The explosion has caused an area as large as two square kilometers burning on fire, the IRNA said.
A witness said that about 36 workers and engineers were working at the site of the incident, six or seven of whom were badly burnt. The fire was so horrible that the flames could be seen from the nearby Gonbadli village in Saraksh, 65 km away from the scene, the witness said.
Currently, no reporter was allowed to show up at the site of the accident.