Killed in train explosion

A staff member of the Iranian Red Crescent was killed in the freight train explosion on 18 February.

Ali Akbar Asghari, 51, was the relief and rescue team manager for the Neyshabur branch of the Iranian Red Crescent.

He had travelled to the site with the governor of Neyshabur. Despite standing at some distance from the derailment site, both Ali Akbar and the governor were killed instantly when the train exploded seconds later.

Ali was buried on 19 February and leaves behind a wife and three children. He had worked for the Red Crescent for 23 years, and had volunteered before that.

The train, carrying petrol, sulphur, cotton and fertiliser, de railed near Neyshabur, 165 km south of the city Mashhad, at around four in the morning on 18 February and caught fire. Several hours later, as the firefighters struggled to bring the flames under control, it exploded, seriously affecting five villages. To date, 325 people are confirmed dead and at least 450 are injured.

Some 200 Iranian Red Crescent volunteers and staff have been mobilised to participate in the search and rescue operations. They initially helped transport the injured to hospital in Mashhad and have distributed food and relief items to people left homeless by the blast.