Methane suspected in incident at local unit of Luxembourg-based steelmaker ArcelorMittal
29 October 2023 - 22:50
byMariya Gordeyeva and Olzhas Auyezov
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An ambulance drives out of the Kostenko coal mine operated by ArcelorMittal Temirtau as rescue operation continues following a mine fire, in Karaganda, Kazakhstan, October 28 2023. Picture: REUTERS
Almaty — The death toll from a fire at a coal mine in Kazakhstan owned by ArcelorMittal rose to 45 on Sunday, with emergency teams engaged in an operation to find one remaining miner believed to have been underground, emergency service officials were quoted as saying.
On Saturday, operator ArcelorMittal Temirtau, the local unit of Luxembourg-based steelmaker ArcelorMittal, said 206 of 252 people at the Kostenko mine had been evacuated after what appeared to be a methane blast.
Gennady Silinsky, a senior emergency services official, on Sunday confirmed the death toll and continuing operation in Karaganda, a major coal mining centre, to Kazakhstan’s Khabar-24 television.
“Work is going on round the clock in shifts in two areas of operations,” Murat Katpanov, another emergency official, told Khabar-24.
“Gas levels are normal. There are no visible signs of fire.”
Earlier statements said rescue operations in the two areas — 4km apart — were hampered by power cuts and damaged equipment.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Dozens killed in coal mine blast in Kazakhstan
Methane suspected in incident at local unit of Luxembourg-based steelmaker ArcelorMittal
Almaty — The death toll from a fire at a coal mine in Kazakhstan owned by ArcelorMittal rose to 45 on Sunday, with emergency teams engaged in an operation to find one remaining miner believed to have been underground, emergency service officials were quoted as saying.
On Saturday, operator ArcelorMittal Temirtau, the local unit of Luxembourg-based steelmaker ArcelorMittal, said 206 of 252 people at the Kostenko mine had been evacuated after what appeared to be a methane blast.
Gennady Silinsky, a senior emergency services official, on Sunday confirmed the death toll and continuing operation in Karaganda, a major coal mining centre, to Kazakhstan’s Khabar-24 television.
“Work is going on round the clock in shifts in two areas of operations,” Murat Katpanov, another emergency official, told Khabar-24.
“Gas levels are normal. There are no visible signs of fire.”
Earlier statements said rescue operations in the two areas — 4km apart — were hampered by power cuts and damaged equipment.
Reuters
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