Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Local firefighters respond to explosion at ArcelorMittal Blast Furnace D

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By Associated Press and Tribune Staff

An equipment failure is being blamed for an explosion on Thursday at ArcelorMittal’s Blast Furnace D.

No one was injured in the explosion, the resulting fire was successfully contained and extinguished, and the blast furnace was taken safely offline, ArcelorMittal spokesman William Steers said.

Steers attributed the explosion to the failure of a stove dome. A video posted to social media showed the mill being showered in chunks of burning hot white refractory, the interior lining of the blast furnace shell which protects it from super-heated temperatures.

Both the Burns Harbor and Porter fire departments responded to the scene to assist ArcelorMittal’s contracted fire-protection service. Allied Universal. “There were no injuries and everybody was accounted for and made it out safely,” BHFD Chief Bill Arney told the Chesterton Tribune. “The cause of the fire/explosion remains under investigation.”

“There wasn’t a lot of fire after the initial explosion,” PFD Chief Jay Craig added. “Most of the fire was at the top of the furnace and they set up aerial for that.”

 

Posted 7/17/2020

 
 
 
 

 

 

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