Explosion, Fire Reported at Iranian Power Plant Amid Earthquake and Blackouts in Karaj

An explosion was reported Saturday night at a power facility in the Iranian city of Karaj, with videos circulating on social media capturing flames at the site.

Footage shared by Iran International appeared to confirm a fire breaking out at the location.

Reports also indicated that a 4.0 magnitude earthquake was felt in Karaj, northwest of Tehran. However, it remained uncertain whether the seismic activity caused the explosion or was a result of it.

In response to the incident, Iranian authorities quoted by the Hezbollah-aligned Al-Mayadeen news outlet attributed widespread power outages in the region to adverse weather conditions.

This event follows a deadly explosion on April 26 at the Port of Bandar Abbas, which resulted in the deaths of at least 70 people and injuries to more than 1,000.

As reported by The Washington Post, that explosion—occurring at Iran’s largest port—was sparked by a chemical fire that originated in a shipping container, based on visual analysis and assessments by explosives experts.