Fire at Kazakhstan’s ArcelorMittal mine kills at least 32, with 14 people still missing
- The fire was Kazakhstan’s worst mining accident since 2006, when 41 miners died at an ArcelorMittal site
- President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev had ordered his government to ‘end investment cooperation’ with ArcelorMittal, and to work towards nationalisation
Operator ArcelorMittal Temirtau, the local unit of the Luxembourg-based steelmaker, said 206 of 252 people at the Kostenko mine had been evacuated after what appeared to be a methane blast.
It said 18 people had sought medical attention.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who expressed condolences to the victims’ families and declared a national day of mourning on October 29, ordered his cabinet to stop investment cooperation with ArcelorMittal Temirtau.
The government said it was finalising a deal to nationalise the company, which operates the country’s biggest steel mill. ArcelorMittal confirmed that in its own statement.
ArcelorMittal has a history of deadly disasters in Kazakhstan and is regularly accused of failing to respect safety and environmental regulations.