April 8, 2011 - 16:37 AMT
Pipelines exploded in Iran, no details of causalities

Three gas pipelines have exploded in an Iranian province south of the capital Tehran, a news agency reported Friday, April 8, saying the cause was unknown and giving no details of damage or casualties.

"The National Iranian Gas Company's (NIGC) operation and rescue teams along with other governmental organizations are present at the scene and are investigating the reason for the explosion," the semi-official Mehr news agency said. The explosions happened in the province of Qom in northern-central Iran.

The report comes two months after a similar incident in the same area. On February 11, media reported simultaneous explosions on three gas pipelines near the city of Qom. An NIGC spokesman said at the time that "technical problems were not the cause" of the blasts but gave no further explanation.

Officials were not immediately available for comment.

The pipelines carry gas from refineries in southern Iran to the north and north-west, Mehr said.