At least 25 people died in Kazakhstan in a fire that broke out in its mine ArcelorMittalthe local unit of the Luxembourg-based steelmaker ArcelorMittal Temirtau, which operates the mine, announced today.

Of the 252 people at the Kostenko mine, 206 were evacuated after what appeared to be a methane explosion, and 18 of them required medical attention, the company added in a statement. As of around 14:00 local time (around 11:00 Greek time), around 21 people had not been located.

The President of Kazakhstan, Kashim-Yomart Tokayev, expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and declared tomorrow, October 29, a national day of mourning for the victims of the tragedy. He also instructed his government to “stop the investment cooperation with ArcelorMittal Temirtaou».

At the same time, the Kazakh government announced that it is in the process of finalizing an agreement for the nationalization of the company, which operates the largest steel mill in the country. ArcelorMittal confirmed this in its own statement.

“ArcelorMittal can also confirm, as announced earlier today by the Government of Kazakhstan, that the two sides are in discussions regarding the future of ArcelorMittal Temirtau and have recently signed a preliminary agreement for a transaction that will transfer ownership to the Republic of Kazakhstan“, she said in her statement.

This is the second accident that has occurred in two months at a facility of the group, after the death of five workers in a mine in mid-August in the same area.

The tragedy occurred at the Kostenko mine located near the city of Karaganda, an industrial area in central Kazakhstan, where Emergencies Minister Sirim Sharipkhanov rushed to.

The ArcelorMittal group is often accused by Kazakhstan, a country rich in natural resources, of not respecting safety or environmental rules.