Aaron Steinheiser, Cleveland-Cliffs Butler Works plant general manager, right, thanks Joe LaDue, Butler Township Volunteer Fire District assistant chief, for his department's efforts responding to the fire at the plant earlier this month. Cleveland-Cliffs is giving each of the departments that responded a $5,000 donation in appreciation for fighting the fire. Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle

Representatives from Cleveland-Cliffs Butler Works gathered in Butler Township Volunteer Fire station Friday to donate $55,000 to departments that responded to a fire at its facility March 16.

Each of the 11 departments that responded, or were standing by, received $5,000 from the company.

The fire broke out around 9:45 p.m. in an overhead cable tray at a finishing line in the plant. The scene was cleared by 1:30 a.m. the next morning. No injuries were reported.

Aaron Steinheiser, general manager of Butler and Zanesville Works, said the company couldn’t do enough to thank the departments for their work.

“We’re real grateful for them. They were there very quickly and got the fire contained,” he said.

Steinheiser said the idea for the donations came from employee Josh Lawson at Butler Works, and Cleveland-Cliffs was eager to fulfill it.

“We certainly love to support these guys,” he said. “These guys were on the spot and quick to get the fire under control.”

Joe LaDue, assistant chief of Butler Township Volunteer Fire District, said it feels good to receive thanks in this way.

“It’s nice to see a new company making an effort to say thanks,” he said. “Them being new in the community, to see them giving back is awesome.”

Nate Bacher, supervisor for Butler Ambulance Service, said it’s not common to see companies expressing gratitude like this.

“It’s very good. It’s definitely not necessary, but it’s nice,” he said.

LaDue and Bacher both said plans for the funds are not set in stone, but portions will likely go toward equipment for their respective departments.

“We have a couple different projects in the works. It could go toward the purchase of new gear for our firefighters or equipment for our trucks,” LaDue said.

“With donations like this, we usually set it aside for something special,” Bacher said. “We’ll probably use it for equipment. We could use something for firefighter rehabilitation.”

Besides doing some cleanup from the fire, the Cleveland-Cliffs plant has been under normal operation, Steinheiser said. In his remarks to first-responders during the donation handoff, he said the employees at the mill expressed their thanks.

“You, as a group, are phenomenal. Your response was incredible. We’re blessed and we really appreciate all you did,” he said.

Aaron Steinheiser, Cleveland-Cliffs Butler Works plant general manager, right, talks Friday with Butler City Bureau of Fire firefighters, from left, Chief Chris Switala, Tim Iman and Capt. Tom Fair about the fire at the plant this month. The company is giving each of the departments a $5,000 donation in appreciation for fighting the fire. Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle