CSN idles No. 3 blast furnace

CSN idles No. 3 blast furnace

Companhia Siderurgica Nacional's (CSN's) No. 3 blast furnace at the company's Volta Redonda steel mill has been idled indefinitely since it exploded Sunday due to a buildup of gases within the furnace. The accident collapsed part of the top of the blast furnace, which supplies 60 percent of the company's crude steel. Only a portion of the furnace structure is damaged; the actual furnace, feed, and exit areas were not affected by the accident. CSN has not yet released a date when the furnace will be back online.