At least 16 folks have died in a mine hearth in Kazakhstan, ArcelorMittal Temirtau, the native unit of the Luxembourg-based steelmaker which operates the mine, mentioned on Saturday. Eighteen folks have sought medical assist, it mentioned in a press release. Of the 252 folks on the Kostenko mine, 205 had been evacuated and 31 had not been positioned by 10 a.m. (0400 GMT), the corporate mentioned.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who expressed condolences to victims’ households, ordered his cupboard to cease funding cooperation with the ArcelorMittal Temirtau, and the federal government mentioned it was finalising a deal to nationalise the corporate that runs the nation’s largest steel mill.

(More particulars awaited)