21 people died in mine fire in Kazakhstan
Astana: A fire broke out at a mine owned by steel giant ArcelorMittal in the Karaganda region of Kazakhstan on Saturday. Local media reported that at least 21 people died and 18 others were injured in the incident.
Xinhua news agency quoted local media as saying that so far 21 bodies have been found and 23 miners are still trapped in the Kostenko mine. The rescue operation is going on.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed condolences to the families of the victims.
According to the BBC report, he has called for a halt to ‘investment cooperation’. The government has said it is finalizing a deal to nationalize the company that runs the country’s largest steel mill.
Governor Yermaganbet Bulykpayev said the fire broke out in the morning at the mine. There were 252 people present inside the mine at the time of the incident. A total of 208 miners have been evacuated.
–IANS
