Steel Mills
Fire at ArcelorMittal Weirton Strip Mill
Written by Sandy Williams
May 16, 2015
An electrical fire Friday at ArcelorMittal Weirton in West Virginia sent eight employees to the hospital. A transformer at the Weirton strip steel operation malfunctioned causing adjacent electrical equipment to catch fire said ArcelorMittal spokesperson Mary Beth Holford.
The fire was extinguished quickly and employees working the area were evacuated as a precaution. Several employees were evaluated for smoke inhalation, including the eight that were sent to the hospital, said Holford.
There was some concern by Weirton Fire Department officials regarding a type of oil used in the old transformers. According to Weirton Fire Capt. Bob Hinchee the oil is a carcinogen. “It didn’t affect us where we were at,” said Hinchee. “The mill is assessing it for their personnel. Everybody responded quickly in a timely manner. We worked well with Mittal employees and the fire was extinguished without any problem.”
ArcelorMittal says there were no serious and injuries and “no risk to the Weirton community as a result of the incident.”
The tandem mill where the incident occurred is in a controlled shutdown while the incident is investigated, said Holford.
Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Mills
Nippon could up investment in USS facilities to $7B: Report
It's the latest twist as the proxy battle heats up for Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel.
Hybar expansion still on the table as Arkansas mill startup nears
As Hybar nears the completion of its $700-million rebar mill in Arkansas, the company said it is still “actively considering” building other steel facilities in the southern US.
Global steel production edges lower in February
February’s global raw steel output is tied with last December's for the fourth-lowest monthly production rate recorded over the past two years.
Fate of U.S. Steel hangs in the balance
The future of U.S. Steel remains unclear, but the proxy fight for control of the company is heating up. Shareholders will cast their votes on the company's future at the annual meeting in May.
Cliffs to idle Dearborn blast furnace, restart Cleveland furnace by July
Cleveland-Cliffs has decided to idle the steelmaking operations at its Dearborn Works in Michigan due to weak automotive demand.