Arson dismissed as cause of mine fire in Karaganda rgn

Earlier, reports of Karaganda region’s police department considering an arson in the Kazakhstanskaya mine appeared on one of the Telegram channels, which were later dismissed.

«Some news agencies and social networks disseminate the reports, citing the police department of Karaganda region, of an arson in the Kazakhstanskaya mine. The reports are fake. Currently, necessary investigations are conducted into the cause of the fire,» said the police department.

The law enforcement agencies warn the region’s residents to refute any provocations and trust only official reports.

Notably, a fire broke out on a conveyer band of JSC ArcelorMittal Temirtau Coal Division’s Kazakhstanskaya coal mine at 10:05 am on August 17. Out of the 227 workers, 222 were evacuated through a boundary shaft of the mine.

The bodies of the five deceased mine workers were lifted to the surface.

The cause of the fire is being investigated.

11 of the miners, including nine in Karaganda, and two in Shakhtinsk, are being treated at the medical facilities.

Those to be held accountable for the accident are to face 7 years in prison.