TEHRAN, Iran 

At least three people were killed and ten others injured in a major fire on Wednesday at a petrochemical plant in southern Iran, local media said.

The incident occurred around 11.03 am local time (0733 GMT) at the Kavian Methanol Petrochemical Plant in Bushehr province, officials said.

The fire originated in the plant’s methanol storage tank, emergency and medical services in Bushehr confirmed, warning that the casualty toll could rise as rescue operations continue.

Dr. Seyed Hossein Mousavi, head of the province’s pre-hospital emergency department, told state-run news agency IRNA that the fire was extensive and that the injured have been transferred to hospitals across the region.

The cause of the fire remains unknown, with preliminary investigations underway.

Located in Bandar-e Deyr, Bushehr, the Kavian Petrochemical Plant was established in 2012 and is one of Iran’s key ethylene producers.

Its Phase II unit is the largest ethylene supplier in the Middle East, with an annual production capacity exceeding one million tons.

The plant is part of the wider Bushehr petrochemical hub, responsible for nearly 80% of Iran’s petrochemical exports, according to local officials.

The fire comes just weeks after a devastating explosion at Shahid Rajaee Port in southern Iran, which killed at least 70 people and injured over 1,000.