Mittal loses 100 000T steel in fire

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s Mittal Steel, a unit of the world’s largest steelmaker, said on yesterday it had lost about 100 000 tonnes of liquid steel production at one of its plants after a fire.

One person was killed in the fire, and two were injured. Mittal SA said it expected that two production units had been affected, and estimated that one of them, the Continuous Caster V2 would be back in operation within eight days, but Caster V1 will only operate again within three to four weeks.The fire started at Caster V1, it added.Mittal Steel SA, which is 52 per cent owned by Arcelor Mittal, said it had taken measures to minimise the impact on its customers after the incident at its Vanderbijlpark plant, which took place last week.The company said it was considering diverting exports from its other plant at Saldanha and the possibility of importing final products to minimise the effect on the domestic market.”In the meantime, we will make use of our present capability as a global company to minimise the effect of the incident on the domestic market, even though it will be at a significant cost to the company,” company spokesman Tami Didiza said.Nampa-ReutersMittal SA said it expected that two production units had been affected, and estimated that one of them, the Continuous Caster V2 would be back in operation within eight days, but Caster V1 will only operate again within three to four weeks.The fire started at Caster V1, it added.Mittal Steel SA, which is 52 per cent owned by Arcelor Mittal, said it had taken measures to minimise the impact on its customers after the incident at its Vanderbijlpark plant, which took place last week.The company said it was considering diverting exports from its other plant at Saldanha and the possibility of importing final products to minimise the effect on the domestic market.”In the meantime, we will make use of our present capability as a global company to minimise the effect of the incident on the domestic market, even though it will be at a significant cost to the company,” company spokesman Tami Didiza said.Nampa-Reuters