At least 32 people were killed in a mining accident in Kazakhstan. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev criticized the owner of the coal mine, the steel group ArcelorMittal.
ArcelorMittal is “the worst company in the history” of the country, according to Tokayev. A statement said that 252 miners were working when the fire broke out. 205 of them were brought to the surface. Miners are also missing.
This is the second time in two months that the ArcelorMittal mine has been exposed to a fatal accident. The group is under heavy criticism in the Central Asian country for not complying with environmental and safety standards.
Tokayev declared October 29 a day of national mourning. He also wanted punitive measures. He instructed his government to stop joint investments with ArcelorMittal Temertau, the Kazakh subsidiary of the Luxembourg-based group.
Kazakhstan is also working on an agreement to nationalize the ArcelorMittal unit. The company owns, among other things, the largest steel plant in Kazakhstan. ArcelorMittal confirms the negotiations and says in a statement that it has already signed a preliminary agreement for the transition, reports said Reuters.
The government said last month that it was in talks with investors who might want to acquire ArcelorMittal’s steel operations in Kazakhstan. Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar said the company had invested very little in new equipment and workplace safety.