Fire Causes Major Damage At Indiana Steel Plant

PORTAGE, Ind. (AP) -- A fire caused up to $1 million damage and shut down production for at least a few days at a northwestern Indiana steel plant, an official said.

Equipment that moves a ladle filled with molten steel was heavily damaged and could take days to fix at Beta Steel along U.S. 12 in the city about 10 miles east of Gary, said Fire Chief Tim Sosby.

He said a gear about 10 feet in diameter had plenty of grease and other residue built up which ignited, destroying the turret, which moves the ladle from one location to another in the steel-making process.

The fire department used about 11,000 gallons of water and about 100 gallons of foam to extinguish the blaze, Sosby said.