Weekend Power Station Explosions Reported in Iran

Reports of explosions Sunday morning at multiple thermal power stations in Iran is the latest in a rash of industrial emergencies that have plagued that country in recent weeks.

Video circulating on Twitter proports to be a massive factory fire at or near the Shams Thermal Power Station in Sheikh Hassan southwest of Tabriz. However, the Iranian Student News Agency traces the abundant smoke to a flammable liquid spill at a cellophane factory.

Meanwhile, the state news agency IRNA reports that an explosion the same morning at a power station in Isfahan was due to equipment failure and not sabotage. The equipment was replaced within several hours with no interruption of service.

Among other recent industrial mishaps was a July 2 explosion at the Natanz nuclear facility that heavily damaged resources involved with centrifuges used to enrich uranium. Several other disasters at Iranian industrial sites, including a pipeline fire Saturday, have led to speculation about sabotage.