Fire in Assaluyeh Claims Lives of Three Workers

Three workers were killed in a fire inside sewage pipes in Phase 14 of the Assaluyeh Special Economic Zone. According to ILNA news agency, the incident occurred on the evening of Monday, January 14, when the workers were connecting GRP (glass fiber) sewage pipes. The fire was attributed to materials used for bonding and sealing the joints. GRP pipes are made from various combinations of fiber, glass, resin, and sand, and require chemical adhesives that generate high heat during use. An official in the Assaluyeh Special Economic Zone confirmed the deaths of the three workers in a conversation with ILNA on Tuesday, January 15, stating that another worker was also injured in the incident. Earlier this year, two workers also lost their lives in a refinery located in phases 17 and 18 of Assaluyeh due to gas injection into a tank. According to the Ministry of Labor, at least 1,800 people die annually in Iran from occupational accidents and diseases, a significant portion of whom are construction workers. Ahmad Madari, Iran's Deputy Minister of Labor, announced that most Iranian workers who die in work-related accidents are uninsured. These incidents have occurred despite a report from Mohammad Asabati, the Director General of Labor Inspection at the Ministry of Labor, indicating an 18.5% reduction in work-related fatalities in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year.