ASTANA – A rock mass collapsed in the Zhomart mine in the Zhanaarka district of Kazakhstan’s Ulytau Region on Feb. 17, killing seven workers, the Emergency Situations Ministry reported.
Collage is created by The Astana Times/ Fatima Kemelova. Click to see the map in full size. The map is designed by The Astana Times.
A government commission, led by Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev, is in the region to oversee the emergency response and assess the situation.
“Authorities have recovered all seven bodies and transferred them to police for forensic examination,” reads the ministry’s statement.
Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev, is in the region to oversee the emergency response and assess the situation. primeminister.kz
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed his condolences to the families. He directed the government to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the collapse.
The region’s administration said it would provide comprehensive psychological and social support to the families of the workers killed in the mine collapse.
“This tragedy has deeply shocked us all. It is an unbearable loss for several families. I extend my sincere condolences to the families and friends of the miners who lost their lives. Your grief is shared by all of us,” said the region’s governor, Dastan Ryspekov, in an official statement.
The Zhomart mine is owned and operated by Kazakhmys, one of Kazakhstan’s largest mining companies and a major global producer of copper.
In a Feb. 18 statement, the company said a natural gas explosion occurred, according to preliminary reports, which it describes as an “unusual incident for Kazakhmys corporation’s mines.”
“The circumstances and causes of the accident are under investigation. A special government commission has been established to conduct a thorough inquiry into the tragedy,” reads the statement published on the company’s official website.
The company also said it would offer a lump-sum payment equivalent to ten times the average annual salary of the employee, along with more than two million tenge (US$4,000) to cover funeral expenses.
“In addition, the company has pledged monthly payments for the loss of a breadwinner, coverage of children’s education costs, repayment of loans and debts held by the deceased workers, and other forms of assistance based on the requests of the victims’ families,” reads the statement.
