ASTANA: The death toll from the tragic mine fire at an ArcelorMittal-owned facility in Kazakhstan has risen to 42, as authorities intensify their search for four missing miners, the Ministry for Emergency Situations said.
The ongoing search operation is being complicated by the presence of destroyed mining equipment and rubble in certain areas, hindering rescue efforts.
The incident occurred at the Kostenko mine, located 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the site of the fire. ArcelorMittal Temirtau, the local unit of the Luxembourg-based steelmaker ArcelorMittal, reported on Saturday that 206 out of 252 individuals present at the mine had been successfully evacuated following what appeared to be a methane blast.
The Ministry for Emergency Situations stated that rescuers are diligently combing through two distinct areas of the mine in their quest to locate the missing miners.
The search operation has faced significant challenges due to the extensive damage caused by the fire, with destroyed mining equipment hindering access to certain parts of the mine. Additionally, the presence of rubble has further complicated the rescue efforts, necessitating careful and meticulous search procedures.
