NEW DETAILS: Source of loud booms in Middletown identified

MIDDLETOWN — UPDATE @ 3:30 p.m.:

The mystery of what caused loud booms Saturday night in Middletown has been solved.

Large rainfall during the removal of hot slag from the AK Steel plant caused “a louder than usual noise,” said Douglas Huffnagel from Stein.

Slag is a byproduct of the steelmaking process and can be extremely hot. When moisture hits slag, it can cause a loud noise.

Huffnagel said no one was injured and no equipment was damaged.

For more than 60 years Stein Inc. has been providing slag processing and steel mill services, according to its website.

UPDATE @ 1 a.m.

There were numerous reports of several loud explosions Saturday night, but Middletown police said on social media they were not aware of any explosions and had not responded to one.

Middletown residents reported the blasts were believed to have come from AK Steel Corp., but the company told Middletown police they were fine.

EARLIER

There have been numerous reports of several loud explosions Saturday night at AK Steel Corp.

Middletown dispatch confirmed they received reports of a possible explosion, but said they are not aware of the cause of the noise reported, nor where it may have occurred.

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Witnesses said the blasts happened sometime around 11:20 p.m.

We are working to learn more about what happened, and whether there were any injuries.

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