Sri Lanka, April 27 -- At least 18 people are said to have died, with around 800 others injured, following an explosion and subsequent fire which occurred at the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas.

Iran's customs authority stated that the explosion took place within the Sina container yard, which is associated with the country's Ports and Maritime Organisation.

The blast shattered windows within a radius of several kilometres and was heard on an island 26 kilometres south of the port.

Iranian state television indicated that initial reports suggest negligence in the storage of flammable materials at the site may have been a contributing factor.

Following the blast, the National Iranian Petroleum Refining and Distribution Company issued ...