ALBAWABA - Many people are worried that the region's electrical supply may be disrupted after a large fire broke out late Saturday at the Montazer Qaem Power Station in Karaj, which is west of Tehran. Dramatic imagery circulated on Iranian social media sites showed the facility, which has a generating capacity of around 1600 megawatts, engulfed in flames.
Iran's Tasnim News Agency denied reports that the fire was the result of an assault despite the frightening sights. Rather, they said the fire and massive power disruptions were caused by a powerful storm that hit Karaj. In order to contain the situation and restore power, emergency personnel were quickly called in.
According to Mehr News Agency, a major fire occurred at a cardboard manufacturing facility in the province of Alborz, specifically at Nazarabad. Twelve areas of the facility were affected by the flames, but no injuries have been recorded as of yet. Firefighters are still working to completely put out the fire.
A magnitude 4.0 earthquake that shook the region added to the chaos of the evening in Karaj. Around 9 PM local time, the earthquake, which could be felt all the way to Tehran, caused power disruptions in a number of communities. Emergency response activities were hampered by the region's heavy dust and stormy circumstances.
As of right now, neither the earthquake nor the flames have been officially linked to any deaths or injuries. To ascertain the exact reasons and any potential links between the accidents, authorities have started investigations.
