ASTANA, October 28. /TASS/. The death toll in a fire accident at the ArcelorMittal-operated Kostenko coal mine in central Kazakhstan has increased to 20, Kazinform cited ArcelorMittal Temirtau CEO Viktor Gafiulov as saying.

Earlier reports said 16 people had been killed in the fire.

According to the latest reports, of 252 miners, 205 have surfaced from underground, of which 18 people sought medical assistance. The search for the remaining miners is ongoing.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ordered the cabinet to halt investment cooperation with ArcelorMittal Temirtau, the republic’s largest miner, in the wake of the accident.

The Kazakh government is currently completing the transfer of ownership of the operator to the republic.

"The government has reached a preliminary agreement with ArcelorMittal Temirtau shareholders, and the deal to transfer the company’s ownership to the Republic of Kazakhstan is currently being finalized," the government said.