UPDATED December 18, 3:05 p.m.
FINAL UPDATE Dec 18 2020: The company notified the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks’ “Spills Action Centre” immediately following the event due to the visible emissions that were generated as a result of the fire. The company conducted a thorough clean-up of the area and restoration has been completed.
UPDATE November 27, 2020: The emission would have contained particulate dust from the steel, steam generated by the reaction between the water used by the Fire team and the liquid steel and smoke from the combustibles in the area that caught fire. Combustibles would be things like equipment, cabling, and fluids in the equipment for example.
ORIGINAL Post November 14, 2020: There was an incident at the company’s No.2 Caster this afternoon, November 14, 2020 at 1:22 p.m. The caster is where liquid steel is cast into slabs. There was an equipment malfunction in the transfer of the liquid steel into the caster, causing a spill. The area is controlled and secure as of approximately 2:25 p.m.
Fortunately, there are no injuries as employees are not allowed in the area for safety reasons.
However, the incident resulted in a significant visible emission, likely due to both fire and contact between the liquid steel and water.
The company’s Fire Department responded and managed the incident.
A report has been made to the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Parks and Conservation’s Spills Action Centre. Teams are on site investigating and further information will be provided when it becomes available.