In a heart-wrenching turn of events, Kazakhstan was met with tragedy as a mine fire, located within the premises of the Luxembourg-listed ArcelorMittal, took the lives of 32 individuals, marking one of the deadliest disasters to befall the nation in recent years. The aftermath of the incident has left more than a dozen individuals unaccounted for, adding to the anguish of this devastating occurrence.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev addressed the situation with unwavering candour, unequivocally branding ArcelorMittal as the “worst” company in Kazakhstan’s history. In response to this grave incident and mounting concerns over safety and environmental standards, he issued a directive, placing the Kazakh branch of the company under government control.
This catastrophic fire transpired a mere two months after another tragic incident at a different ArcelorMittal-owned mine, where five miners lost their lives in a blast. The Kazakhstan Ministry of Emergency Situations confirmed the grim death toll at the Kostenko mine, stating, “As of 4 p.m. (1000 GMT), the bodies of 32 people have been found, and the search for 14 miners is continuing.
In a heartfelt gesture, President Tokayev personally met with the grieving families of the victims in the Karaganda region and declared a national day of mourning to be observed on Sunday. Expressing profound dismay over ArcelorMittal’s track record in terms of safety, he mandated the government’s direct oversight of the affected mines. Additionally, he appointed Vadim Basin, a former ArcelorMittal employee and the deputy governor of the Karaganda region, to lead the company in its newly assumed role under government control.
President Tokayev did not mince words in his criticism of ArcelorMittal’s current management, stating, “This company has turned out to be the worst in our history from the point of view of cooperation between a company and the government.” The government of Kazakhstan further announced its intent to pursue a path toward nationalization.
While the cause of this tragic accident has yet to be definitively ascertained, President Tokayev established an investigative commission tasked with meticulously examining the circumstances surrounding the devastating fire.
The nation of Kazakhstan mourns the loss of these 32 lives and stands united in seeking answers, accountability, and, most importantly, a future where such heartrending incidents become a thing of the past.
