‘More of a nuisance’ fire at Middletown AK Steel plant under investigation

Published: Sunday, July 21, 2019 @ 8:31 AM
Updated: Sunday, July 21, 2019 @ 9:26 AM
By: Breaking News Staff, Denise G. Callahan

Aerial view of the AK Steel Middletown Works. The big steel producer covers more than 2,700 acres in the city to operate coke ovens, a blast furnace, hot strip mill and more than a dozen other steel production related processes. TY GREENLEES / STAFF Staff writer
Aerial view of the AK Steel Middletown Works. The big steel producer covers more than 2,700 acres in the city to operate coke ovens, a blast furnace, hot strip mill and more than a dozen other steel production related processes. TY GREENLEES / STAFF(Staff writer)

MIDDLETOWN — Fire fighters are investigating a fire that struck a building on the campus of AK Steel’s Middletown works early Sunday morning. 

Middletown Fire Chief Paul Lolli said the fire at AK Steel was “more of a nuisance fire” and crews were cleared by 6 a.m.

According to Middletown fire officials, the flames began in one of the facility’s mills, but the cause is currently unknown. The facility includes multiple steel milling machines, and it is unclear which of these was the source of the fire.

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Initial reports indicated that a two-story brick building was on fire, with flames both on the roof and inside.