ASTANA, October 28. /TASS/. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ordered the cabinet to halt investment cooperation with ArcelorMittal after the latest coalmine accident that killed at least 16 people.

"President of Kazakhstan Kasym-Jomart Tokayev expressed sincere condolences to the families and friends of miners who died as a result of a fire at the Kostenko mine in the Karaganda Region, and also wished a speedy recovery to the injured," the presidential office said in a statement. "The cabinet has been ordered to stop investment cooperation with ArcelorMittal Temirtau."

The company reported that the death toll from the accident climbed to 16. It said the search continues for 31 miners that remain under the ground.

This is a second time a fire at one of the company’s coalmines kills people in the past few months. The previous fire happened on August 17, killing five coalminers. A government commission blamed the company for the accident.