Kazakhstan mine fire: Death toll touches 42

The blaze ignited on Saturday.

The mine where the fire erupted is owned by steel giant ArcelorMittal.

The new figure was confirmed by the ministry for emergency situations as rescuers pulled bodies from the rubble, reported BBC.

The search for the missing workers is still going on.

"The search operation is hampered by the presence of destroyed mining equipment, as well as rubble in some places", the ministry of emergency said in a statement as quoted by BBC.

On Saturday,  ArcelorMittal issued a statement and said 206 people were safely evacuated to the surface after the fire broke out at the mine.

The fire broke out on the same day when a deal to nationalise the company's mining operations in Kazakhstan was reached.

"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," the steel major had said in the statement.