On Sunday, officials in Kazakhstan stated that a blaze started by a methane gas explosion in a mine resulted in the tragic deaths of at least 45 coal miners.
The Ministry for Emergency Situations said there was an explosion at the Kostenko mine in the Karaganda region. This caused a fire to start on Saturday. The mine is owned by the state, according to Kazinform news agency.
According to the ministry, over 200 people were taken out of the mine to a safe place. They are still searching for one miner who is missing.
The mine is owned by ArcelorMittal, a company from Luxembourg that makes a lot of steel. It is managed by ArcelorMittal Temirtau, a company that operates many coal and iron ore mines in Kazakhstan.
The company has stopped working at its eight mines in the Karaganda region and the General Prosecutor’s Office has started a criminal investigation.
According to a statement after the explosion, ArcelorMittal said it had agreed with the Kazakh government to give ownership of ArcelorMittal Temirtau to Kazakhstan and wants to finish this transfer quickly.
Both sides are highly focused on achieving a result that is best for the workers at the steel plant and the iron-ore and coal mines, as well as the communities that depend on these operations.
On Sunday, the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, announced a day of mourning for the people who died.
The mining industry in Kazakhstan, which is worth billions of dollars, made up about 17% of the country’s total economic output in 2021. This information comes from the US International Trade Administration.
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At least 45 coal miners in Kazakhstan killed by blast
