Fire near Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad extinguished quickly, no casualties

MASHHAD, Iran — A fire broke out on July 16, 2026 at an asphalt workshop in a construction area adjoining the Imam Reza shrine in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad and was brought under control shortly afterward, according to Iranian state media. The blaze started when insulation materials caught fire and produced heavy smoke that spread into surrounding areas. Mu'in Reza Farahnde, spokesperson for the Khorasan Razavi Province Fire Department, said fire crews from the shrine and the Mashhad municipality were dispatched to the site immediately after the report was received and extinguished the flames quickly. He stated that the fire did not spread to the shrine's facilities or adjacent areas. The Khorasan Razavi Province Fire Department announced that an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the fire. Mohsen Khoshmand, head of the province's Communication and Media Center, confirmed there were no casualties and that visitors continued their daily activities at the shrine as usual. Officials said the fire caused no damage to the shrine's infrastructure.