Aktobe, 24 October. A 46-year-old employee of national railway company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) has died in Aktobe region after suffering burns to 85% of his body on 13 October while he and a colleague were pouring leftover petrol from a 200-litre barrel into a bucket; the second victim, with burns to 40% of his body, was flown to Astana by air ambulance, Informburo.kz reports, citing Channel 31.
The accident happened at the Shalkar production site of KTZ's protective forest plantations unit. The petrol suddenly ignited as it was being poured, and both workers suffered severe burns.
According to Nurlan Abishev, a doctor at Aktobe's Multidisciplinary Hospital No. 1, doctors were unable to save the first victim. The second is still being treated in Astana. The cause of the fire has not been officially named.
The dead man's relatives are demanding a thorough investigation and punishment of those responsible. KTZ said it is conducting an inquiry together with the labour inspectorate.
What it means: A work task involving petrol carried out without proper safety measures cost a man his life. The circumstances and those responsible will be established by the KTZ inquiry and the labour inspectorate.
Who benefits: The sources do not name anyone responsible. For the dead man's family and the second victim, it matters that the investigation establishes who was responsible for safety at the site.
Background: KTZ's protective forest plantation units plant and maintain shelter belts along railway lines to protect the tracks from snow and sand drifts. Shalkar district, where the accident happened, is in the south of Aktobe region.
List of sources used: Informburo.kz
Artificial intelligence was used in preparing this material.
