Kazakhstan suspends investment cooperation with ArcelorMittal following mine fire

ASTANA: Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed the government to cease investment cooperation with ArcelorMittal Temirtau mining company following the fire at the Kostenko mine that killed at least 21 people, the media reported.

Tokayev expressed condolences to the families of the victims of the mine fire. He instructed the government to provide all required assistance to the families.

The government commission to investigate the causes of the Saturday's accident at the mine was created, headed by Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov.

The government has reached a preliminary agreement with the shareholders of ArcelorMittal Temirtau and is finalising the transfer of ownership deal in favour of Kazakhstan, The Astana Times reported.

"A comprehensive investigation will be conducted into the causes of an accident due to a fire at the mine. At the same time, measures will be taken to assess the damage caused and provide priority assistance to the injured and families of the victims," reads the statement of the Prime Minister's office.

According to Nikita Shatalov, deputy of Mazhilis, a lower chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, ArcelorMittal Temirtau did not draw any conclusions from a series of previous accidents, The Astana Times reported.

"A little over two months have passed since the tragedy at the Kazakhstanskaya mine. The owner has not learned any lessons from the incident. Safety precautions were not strengthened and warning systems were not audited. People continued to die. Mittal and his subordinates do not care what happens to our fellow citizens," wrote Shatalov on Telegram.

The decision of Tokayev to suspend cooperation with the company is the "only correct decision", wrote Shatalov.

"All those who insisted on the change of ownership were accused of populism. Obviously, this is not a simple process. Mittal was legally protected. But the head of state made the only correct decision in the current situation," he added.

Mazhilis deputy Erlan Sairov echoed his views on Facebook, calling ArcelorMittal Temirtau a "symbol of irresponsibility and inhumanity", The Astana Times reported.

"Despite dozens of deaths, the company still has not taken effective measures to reduce mortality at the enterprises, which is extremely negative about the management of the corporation and confirms its indifference to the people of Kazakhstan," said Sairov.

Kazakhstan"s Prosecutor General Office launched a pre-trial investigation on charges of the violation of safety rules during mining or construction work, per Article 277 of the Criminal Code. An interdepartmental investigative and operational group has been created led by special prosecutors, which includes most experienced law enforcement officers and Emergency Situations Ministry specialists.