Fire at Cleveland-Cliffs contained, production unaffected
A fire that broke out in the Cleveland-Cliffs Butler Works Wednesday night will not affect production at the plant.
Cliffs released a statement at midnight Thursday stating the fire occurred at about 9:45 p.m. Wednesday in an overhead cable tray at a finishing line in the plant.
Patricia Persico, Cleveland-Cliffs spokeswoman, said the fire was contained and extinguished by the time of the news release.
“Employees were evacuated from the premises, and there were no reported injuries,” Persico said in the release. “The company is assessing the situation and an investigation, including representatives from Cleveland-Cliffs, United Autoworkers and Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been initiated.”
Persico confirmed Thursday that the fire, which was in the plant’s finishing area, did not affect production.
The Butler Township Volunteer Fire District, Butler Bureau of Fire, Penn Township Volunteer Fire Department, Unionville Volunteer Fire Company, Department Of Veterans Affairs Fire Department and Butler Ambulance Services responded to the fire.
Scott Frederick, director of emergency services at the Butler Township Volunteer Fire District, said a number of the firefighters who responded to the call are employed at Cliffs and were able to direct equipment to the appropriate area immediately.
Frederick said the fire likely did not spread because existing ventilation points in the roof over the fire allowed the flames to escape upward instead of spread.
"Firefighters realized pretty quickly that it could be contained where it was with how it was venting out through the roof,“ Frederick said.
He said specialty foam was not required, and firefighters doused the flames with water.
Frederick said, and Persico confirmed, that the fire was not in the hot mill, but the finishing area.
Frederick said the investigation into the cause of the fire was turned over to Cleveland-Cliffs, and that the state fire marshal will only be called in if requested by Cliffs officials.
Frederick confirmed that there were no reports of injuries among employees and that no firefighters were injured battling the blaze.
The scene was cleared at about 1:30 a.m. Thursday, Frederick said.
The plant has experienced small fires in recent years when it operated as A/K Steel, including in July 2019, when plant officials asked the Butler Township Volunteer Fire District to stand by at its station for a minor incident; March 2015, when a small fire on the anneal and pickle line was extinguished immediately; and a $150,000 electrical fire in April 2013 that destroyed a metal structure and many records in the plant’s office.
More recently, hazmat teams were called to Cleveland-Cliffs’ Weirton plant Feb. 19 when chemicals were mixed and created chlorine gas near the Ohio River near the plant, according to media reports in the area.
No additional details on the Butler Works blaze were available from Cliffs on Thursday.
