At ArcelorMittal’s Burns Harbor plant, a manager was badly burned by an accident with the basic oxygen furnace. The manager, Gabe Rocha, “suffered third-degree burns over 55 percent of his body”, according to The Gibson Report. Paul Gipson, president of the United Steelworkers Local 6787, said Gabe Rocha went with colleagues to investigate a sound on the No. 1 basic oxygen furnace vessel. "They thought it was an air leak," Gipson said.

The report said, “As the group approached the No. 1 vessel, Gipson said, a steam line on the No. 2 vessel ruptured, sending Rocha 200 feet backward. Rocha was burned from the back of his head to his lower calves in the incident, Gipson said. Rocha was airlifted to Loyola University Medical Center where he remains in the burn unit in a medically-induced coma, according to Gipson. He is expected to survive. Gipson said Rocha is in his mid-50s with a wife and children. Rocha spent years working in management at Inland Steel and recently moved to ArcelorMittal's Burns Harbor plant. "He was very familiar with a basic furnace,” Gipson said.

The accident sparked a routine, joint investigation by the union and management, Gipson said. As of Tuesday morning, there were no detailed findings available from the probe.”

Source: The Gibson Report