Steel Mills
Two Fatalities at US Steel Fairfield
Written by Sandy Williams
September 23, 2014
An explosion at US Steel Fairfield on Sunday evening resulted in the death of two worker and the severe injury of another. US Steel security and paramedics responded to the incident. Edward Lamar Bryant, 53, was pronounced dead on Sunday at UAB Hospital emergency room in Birmingham, Al. Leo Bridges and Mac Bedwell were transported to the Trauma and Burn Intensive Care Unit at UAB Hospital. Bridges died this morning after he was removed from life support. Bedwell remains in critical condition.
According to a statement below by U.S. Steel media spokesperson, Courtney Boone, the blast furnace continues to operate at the Fairfield Works facility in Birmingham, Alabama. The accident occurred on Sunday sometime before 5:00 p.m. at the Q-BOP, the vessel used to take the pig iron from the blast furnace and combine it with scrap in order to make molten steel. US Steel Fairfield has one BOP (or basic oxygen process or furnace) at the Fairfield mill and it is not totally understood what damages the mill suffered in the accident that claimed two lives and critically injured a third.
US Steel – UPDATED 9/22/14 4:30 pm EDT : “In the evening of Sunday, Sept. 21, there was an incident at U. S. Steel’s Fairfield Works’ Q-BOP in Birmingham which resulted in the injury of three employees. Following the incident the employees were transported to an area hospital where one employee has unfortunately died as the result of his injuries. An investigation into the incident is underway. The blast furnace operations continue. No further details are available at this time.”
US Steel Great Lakes Works suffered a fatality earlier this year when a crane being operated by a sub-contractor toppled during the repair of another BOP which had suffered an incident when a pipe fell through the roof. At that time, the BOP facility was down for a number of days pending an investigation and repairs to the roof.
Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Mills
Nippon won’t import slabs to US if U.S. Steel deal goes through
Nippon Steel has affirmed that if its $14.9-billion bid for U.S. Steel proves successful, the Japanese steelmaker will not import overseas-produced slabs to the US.
AISI: Raw steel production falls to 5-week low
Domestic raw steel mill production slipped to a five-week low last week, according to the latest figures released by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). Weekly production is now at the third-lowest level recorded this year.
Nucor maintains HR price at $750/ton
Nucor’s weekly consumer spot price (CSP) for hot-rolled (HR) coil was unchanged week on week (w/w) at $750 per short ton (st) on Monday, Nov. 18.
Mexican court orders sale of officially bankrupt AHMSA
After failing to reach agreements with its creditors, Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA) has been formally declared bankrupt by a Mexican bankruptcy court.
AISI: Raw steel production edges back up
Domestic raw steel production recovered last week, after slipping the week prior, according to the latest American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) data. Weekly production remains at some of the lowest levels recorded this year.