Steel Mills

Grupo Simec 'explosion' kills at least a dozen people

Written by Ethan Bernard

November 1, 2024

A spill of liquid steel at a Grupo Simec facility in central Mexico has killed at least 12 workers, according to numerous media reports.

The Mexican longs producer said the incident occurred on Oct. 30 at Plant One of its steel complexes in Apizaco in the state of Tlaxcala.

The Tlaxcala state government said the workers were killed in an explosion and fire at the plant early Wednesday morning, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

“A spill of liquid steel occurred with loss of human lives that has temporarily paralyzed its operation,” Grupo Simec said in a statement. “The company deeply regrets the death of its employees in this accident and is reviewing the cause.”

In a statement to SMU on Monday, Nov. 4, a spokesperson for Grupo Simec said: “The tragic accident put Plant One’s melt shop out of operation. Plant One’s rolling mill and cold finish facilities are fully operational.”

He said Plant Two’s melt shop and rolling mill are also operating.

Guadalajara, Mexico-based Grupo Simec manufactures steel wire, SBQ, rebar, and commercial and structural long products in Mexico, the US, Canada, and Brazil.

Ethan Bernard

Ethan Bernard is managing editor for Steel Market Update. He previously worked for American Metal Market as a copy editor in the New York office for two years, starting in 2008. Later, he copy edited AMM’s monthly magazine on a freelance basis from 2015 until 2017. With experience in financial copywriting and textbook publishing, he holds a BA in Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley, and an MFA. in Creative Writing from New York University. He can be reached at ethan@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-759-7871.

Read more from Ethan Bernard

Latest in Steel Mills