A fire broke out at Tata Steel UK's Port Talbot steelworks in South Wales during the early hours of June 4, resulting in injuries to three contractors and triggering a major emergency response. During the incident, the hot strip mill was temporarily taken offline. Teams are working towards a planned restart in the middle of next week.
The company confirmed that three contractor employees sustained injuries during the incident and were transported to hospital for treatment. Two of the injured workers were later discharged, while the third remained under medical observation.
Fire linked to molten slag wagon
Tata Steel UK said the incident involved a wagon used to transport molten slag, a by-product generated during the steelmaking process. The company emphasized that the fire was quickly brought under control. The steelmaker added that there was no wider risk to employees, local residents or surrounding communities.
The company has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the incident and is cooperating with the relevant authorities. In its official statement, Tata Steel UK said the safety of employees, contractors and local communities remains its highest priority and that a full review will be conducted.
Incident occurs during major site transition
The fire comes as Port Talbot continues its transformation following the closure of its blast furnaces as part of Tata Steel UK's decarbonization strategy. The company is preparing for the construction of a new electric arc furnace under its £1.25 billion investment program, which is supported by £500 million from the UK government. The project is expected to significantly reduce carbon emissions and reshape steel production at the site over the coming years.
Tata Steel indicated that the incident was contained within the affected operational area and did not pose an ongoing threat to the wider facility.