Explosion at Indiana steel mill killed 1 worker, injured 4

2010-01-12 05:20:28 (GMT) (JusticeNewsFlash.com - Employment Law, Justice News Flash)

Legal News for Indiana Employment Attorneys. A worker was fatally injured after a steam explosion at an Indiana steel mill.

One dead, four injured after explosion at steel mill, OSHA investigates.

Portage, IN—An explosion at a Portage, Indiana steel mill, killed one and left four others injured after the blast, according to information provided by the Chicago Tribune. The explosion allegedly occurred at approximately 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 7, 2010 at the Beta Steel Corporation mill, located at 6500 S. Boundary Road.

The mayor of Portage reportedly claimed that the explosion occurred after water was combined with molten slag in one of the steel mill’s furnaces. This explosion was not the first for the northwest Indiana steel mill. In November, eight employees were reported injured after an explosion in the furnace area as well. However, the blast in November was a fire explosion rather than a steam explosion like Thursday’s incident. Another blast in 1996 occurred when a tank exploded left three workers dead and others injured.

The Porter County coroner’s office officials responded to the scene and allegedly identified the victim of the steam explosion as 35-year-old Michael Kies, according to reports by the Chicago Breaking News Center. He was reportedly killed after suffering from “multiple blunt force trauma to the head”. Emergency medical services (EMS) professions dispatched to the scene reportedly transported four injured workers to area hospitals for treatment by doctors and nurses. The four workers involved in the work-place explosion allegedly sustained non-life threatening injuries including steam burns and blunt force trauma.

The furnace area was the only place in the mill closed off after the incident. It was allegedly stated that no safety problems have come to the attention of the firm besides those now concerning two explosions that have occurred in the same vicinity of the Beta Steel mill within the last few months. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) http://www.osha.gov is investigating the Beta Steel steam explosion.

Legal News Reporter: Sandra Quinlan- Legal News for Indiana Employment Lawyers.