Kazakhstan held nationwide mourning on Sunday after 42 people died in a blaze at an ArcelorMittal mine, the worst accident in the Central Asian country's post-Soviet history.
The tragedy, which struck at the Kostenko coal mine in the Karaganda region Saturday, came after a series of deadly incidents at ArcelorMittal mines and has prompted the nationalisation of the company's local affiliate.
Many welcomed the government's move towards nationalisation, angered by the company's safety record. The Kazakh government and the steel giant announced a preliminary agreement to"transfer ownership of the firm in favour of the Republic of Kazakhstan", Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov stated. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, about 200 miners have died in Kazakhstan, the vast majority at ArcelorMittal sites. There were 252 people inside the mine when the fire started, ArcelorMittal said.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Kazakhstan says 32 killed in ArcelorMittal mine fireKazakhstan said on Saturday that 32 people were killed in a fire in yet another deadly accident in a mine owned by ArcelorMittal, with over a dozen still missing, in the Central Asian country's worst disaster in years.
Read more »
Race-by-race preview and tips for Queanbeyan on SundayEverything you need to know to find a winner on cup day.
Read more »