Death toll in Kazakhstan mine fire rises to 42

Astana: The death toll due to fire at a mine owned by ArcelorMittal in Kazakhstan rose to 42 on Sunday, Al Jazeera reported citing the Kazakhstan Ministry.

"The search operation is hampered by the presence of destroyed mining equipment as well as rubble in some places", the Ministry of Emergency Situations said in a statement.

Rescuers are searching for miners in two areas of the mine 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) apart, it said.

On Saturday, operator ArcelorMittal Temirtau, the local unit of Luxembourg-based steelmaker ArcelorMittal, said 206 of 252 people at the Kostenko mine had been evacuated after what appeared to be a methane blast, Al Jazeera reported.

After the fire, Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed the government to cease investment cooperation with the ArcelorMittal Temirtau mining company.

"ArcelorMittal can also confirm, as communicated earlier today by the government of Kazakhstan, that the two parties have been in discussions concerning the future of ArcelorMittal Temirtau and recently signed a preliminary agreement for a transaction that will transfer ownership to the Republic of Kazakhstan," Astana Times quoted the President as saying.

"ArcelorMittal is committed to completing this transaction as soon as possible in order to minimise disruption to the greatest extent possible," he added.

Tokayev later offered condolences to the families of the victims of the mine fire. Additionally, he instructed the government to provide all required assistance to their families, Astana Times reported.