Drug Addict Rehabilitation Center Fire In Iran Kills 32 People

ILLUSTRATION/UNSPLASHHermes Rivera

JAKARTA - A major fire incident at a drug user rehabilitation facility in Gilan Province, southern Iran, has killed 32 people, according to state media.

"In addition, at least 16 people were injured in the incident and transferred to a local hospital," said Mohammad Jalal, deputy governor of Gilan, as quoted by the IRNA news agency as reported by ANTARA, Friday, November 3.

The incident occurred in 05.45 a.m. local time on Friday at a rehabilitation center in Langerood, a mountainous town in Gilan, about 340 kilometers from the capital Tehran.

Several Iranian media, citing an initial investigation, said heating at the rehabilitation center was the cause of the fire - which quickly engulfed the entire facility.

Iran has formed a powerful anti-narcotic force in recent years and has executed a number of people involved in drug smuggling.

However, the addicts who are in Iran are a huge challenge for the government, according to experts.

Drug trafficking is a big problem due to Iran's geographic location, which lies between Afghanistan and Europe, said Behrouuz Hasemi, an anti-narcotic activist.

"... but drug consumption by the younger generation of Iran also shows great challenges in the narcotics eradication campaign," he told Anadolu.