February 14 On theĀ afternoon of the 13th local time, local officials in Afghanistan said that an oil tanker exploded on the border between Afghanistan and Iran, causing more than 500 vehicles to catch fire and injuring at least 17 people.
According to CNN, several officials said the explosion occurred at the customs office in Herat Province in western Afghanistan.
Mohammad Rafiq Sherzai, spokesman of the Ministry of Public Health of Herat Province, said that at least 17 people have been injured and have been taken to the local hospital.
The report said that high flames and smoke can be seen from the scene photos, even from a distance.
Witness Khalil Ahmed said: “Everyone is scared. They tried to escape, but the car was trapped.”
Waheed Qatali, governor of Herat Province, said that officials had asked Iran for help because of the lack of resources to put out the fires on the Afghan side.
At the request of officials from Herat, Iran will send disaster relief and relief teams to the region to assist in the emergency response, Iran reported.
The report said that the fire only occurred on the side of the Afghan border and did not affect Iranian customs.