AK Steel: Fire handled ‘effectively’ by fire department

UPDATE @ 1:20 p.m.:

No cause has been determined for a fire on a slag hauler this morning at AK Steel Middletown Works, fire officials said.

Deputy Chief Brent Dominy said fire officials are investigating the fire to determine how much damage was done to the hauler.

It took firefighters about 30 to 45 minutes to extinguish the fire that was reported at 10:15 a.m., he said.

He said the slag hauler was outside a building at the time of the fire. The driver wasn’t injured and no firefighters were injured, Dominy said.

Lisa Jester, a spokeswoman for the steel company, is looking into the fire and said she may have a comment today.

INITIAL REPORT:

Middletown firefighters responded this morning to a fire inside AK Steel Middletown Works, according to Middletown Division of Fire Chief Paul Lolli.

Lolli said the firefighters were dispatched inside the steel plant around 10:15 a.m. on a report that a hauler was on fire. He said it took firefighters about an hour to contain the blaze.

Lolli said firefighters’ efforts were hampered because the hauler recently filled up its tank with diesel fuel and he said firefighters were concerned about the large tires possibly blowing on the machinery.

There were no reports of injuries.

Firefighters remained inside the plant as of 11:15 a.m., according to Lolli.