A Hammond man died Thursday in an explosion in the Beta Steel facility at the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor.

Porter County Coroner Vicki Deppe identified the victim as Michael Kies, 35, and following an autopsy this morning listed the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head.

Four other employees were injured in the incident, which occurred around 7 p.m., Division Chief Jason Bush of the Portage Fire Department said. The four were taken to area hospitals but Bush did not know the extent of their injuries.

Kensey Alsman, president of Local 2038 of the International Longshoremen’s Association, characterized the incident as a “superheated steam explosion” caused when water leaked into the electric arc furnace and mixed with hot metal. The employees injured by the explosion were near or at the top of the furnace at the time trying to find the water leak, Alsman said. “They may have been on a ladder at the side of the furnace. Or a couple of them might have been on top. We’re not sure at this point. We haven’t had a chance to talk with them.”

Alsman did say that the top was on the furnace at the time of the incident. Had the top been off, the force of the explosion would have dissipated a great deal.

IOSHA was on the scene this morning, Alsman added.

Beta Steel Corporation did not return a call this morning from the Tribune.

The Porter Fire Department was on standby at its station from 7:16 to 9:23 p.m. while the Portage Fire Department responded to the scene.

On Nov. 14 four employees at Beta Steel were injured in a slag eruption in the melt shop facility. The four sustained only minor injuries and were treated and released, spokesman Joseph Gazarkiewicz said at the time.

Beta Steel is a mini-mill operation incorporating an electric arc furnace which converts scrap steel into continuous cast steel slabs. The facility also features a hot-strip rolling mill for process those slabs into flat-rolled steel.

Posted 1/8/2010