32 people die in mine fire in Kazakhstan… 14 people missing

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ArcelorMittal local agency operated coal mine
Safety and environmental issues have been raised… Nationalization in progress

A fire accident occurred at a mine in Kazakhstan, leaving 32 people dead and 14 missing.

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According to the Associated Press on the 28th (local time), coal mine operator ArcelorMittal Temirtau announced that a fire broke out at the Kostenko coal mine in Karaganda Oblast, central Kazakhstan.

At the time of the accident, about 252 people were working at the coal mine.

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The company explained that the fire is believed to have been caused by a pocket of methane gas.

He said, “We have stopped work at all coal mine sites in Kazakhstan,” and added, “We are doing our best to cooperate closely with the authorities and ensure that the affected employees receive comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation.”

ArcelorMittal Temirtau is the local distributor of multinational company ArcelorMittal, the world’s second largest steel producer, headquartered in Luxembourg.

Safety issues have been continuously raised as fire accidents have occurred one after another in mines operated by ArcelorMittal Temirtau.

A fire broke out at this mine last August, killing four miners, and in November last year, a methane gas leak at another mine operated by the company killed five people. In recent years, it has been investigated for violating environmental laws.

The Kazakh government is in the process of nationalizing ArcelorMittal Temirtau, and the company also confirmed today that it is finalizing a contract for nationalization.

Kazakh Prime Minister Alihan Smailov announced on the Presidential Office website that a preliminary agreement has been reached between the government and the company’s shareholders and that the process of formalizing nationalization is now underway.

Kazakhstan’s First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Skliyar said last month that the government had begun negotiations with potential investors to acquire the company after growing complaints about ArcelorMittal Temirtau’s failure to meet its investment obligations and repeated worker safety violations.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev made a speech on this day and designated the 29th as a day of national mourning.

Kazakhstan’s prosecutors announced that they would begin an investigation into whether there were potential safety violations during the operation of the coal mine.

Source: Donga

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