ArcelorMittal has reminded the Blast Furnace A at its steelworks in the Gijón district of Veriña was taken out of service following an explosion on 9 September 2026. The company said nobody was injured. The area was secured, and operations remained suspended while the damage was assessed and the cause investigated.
The company said initial indications pointed to a sudden release of Steam in the area of a structural support beam on the platform. The company said it was not yet clear whether this was due to a technical failure or a combination of operational factors. Internal investigations were the priority; ArcelorMittal initially gave no details about the duration or process for restarting operations.
The Emergency shutdown followed established safety protocols for blast furnace operations. According to Europa Press and other regional media, the information available is based on company statements. No information from the authorities about the incident was initially available. No reports of fires, gas leaks or risks to the surrounding population have emerged.
The site at Gijón is part of ArcelorMittal Asturias and is one of the most important industrial facilities in Asturias. Repeated shutdowns and maintenance work on the two blast furnaces have affected capacity utilisation and predictability at the site in recent years. Trade unions and company management regularly point to the importance of stable conditions, investment in safety and maintenance, and the upcoming technological transformation of the steel industry. The company has avoided making specific statements about the economic impact of the current incident, citing the ongoing investigation.
Blast furnaces operate at extreme temperatures and pressures; steam releases can occur when moisture unexpectedly comes into contact with hot components or molten material. Such incidents are rare, but the industry addresses them through strict risk-reduction procedures. ArcelorMittal stressed that the safety measures had worked and that protecting employees was the priority.
The company said it would provide further information on the technical sequence of events, the extent of any damage and the restart schedule once the initial analyses were complete. Until then, the focus remains on establishing the cause so that normal operations at the Gijón site can be safely and orderly restored.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).