Explosion at Northwest Indiana Steel Mill
Explosion at Northwest Indiana Steel Mill
An explosion at a Northwest Indiana steel mill killed one person and injured four others on Thursday night. Portage, Indiana Mayor Olga Velazquez told reporters the explosion happened in the melt shop of the Beta Steel Corporation in Portage..
The four injured suffered serious steam burns. Fire rescue teams from various towns responded to reports of the explosion and reportedly workers were evacuated from the portion of the plant where the explosion took place.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been contacted and will conduct an investigation, according to media reports. Beta Steel also experienced an explosion Nov. 14, 2009, just two months ago. That incident reportedly involved slag that erupted in the company’s melting shop, sending four to hospitals suffering injuries such as blunt trauma and burns, according to Portage Fire Chief Bill Lundy at that time.
