Kazakhstan commission finds employer fully at fault in six worker deaths at Aktogai Milk

September 1, 2026 at 08:00 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

A Kazakh government commission found the employer fully responsible for the deaths of six workers at the Aktogai Milk plant in Zholaman on July 20, 2026. The workers died from hydrogen sulfide poisoning while trying to rescue each other from a well. The company has paid 64 million tenge in compensation and funeral costs to the victims' families.

Key Facts

The government commission found the employer 100% at fault for the deaths of six workers at Aktogai Milk in Zholaman, Pavlodar region.
The workers died from hydrogen sulfide poisoning after a teenage gardener entered a well and five others attempted to rescue him.
The company paid 10 million tenge for funerals, 9 million tenge in wages, and 45 million tenge in compensation to the victims' families.
Three suspects, including regional deputy and Aktogai Milk founder Alexander Terentyev, were detained in connection with the deaths.

Investigation Findings

The government commission announced its findings on August 31, 2026, after a six-week investigation into the July 20 deaths at the Aktogai Milk plant in Zholaman. Chief state labor inspector Askar Kapanov stated that the employer bears 100% of the blame for the tragedy. The workers were not trained to recognize hydrogen sulfide gas and were not provided with personal protective equipment. The commission identified five responsible individuals: the founder of the property complex, the director and founder of the enterprise, the executive director, the safety engineer, and the deputy executive director.

Rescue Attempt and Casualties

A teenage gardener was the first to die after being asked to descend into a well to retrieve a mixer. Five other workers died while attempting to rescue him, and one worker was injured. The last victim was found on a rope, indicating the rescue attempt was underway when he was overcome by the gas. The commission found no fault on the part of the workers, who were unaware of the gas hazard.

Company Response and Legal Action

Aktogai Milk director I. Rozhkov reported that by August 13 the company had spent 10 million tenge on funerals and paid 9 million tenge in wages to the families. The company also paid 45 million tenge in compensation and plans to pay off 33 million tenge in family loans and purchase apartments worth 70 million tenge for the victims' children by mid-September. Four children of the deceased will receive monthly payments of 35 MCI until they reach adulthood. Police detained three suspects, including Alexander Terentyev, a regional deputy and founder of Aktogai Milk, in connection with the criminal case.