Steel Mills
Explosion rocks ArcelorMittal’s DR plant in Mexico
Written by Laura Miller
August 20, 2025
An explosion occurred on the afternoon of Monday, Aug. 18, at the ArcelorMittal Lazaro Cardenas mill in Michoacan, Mexico.
The company reported a “strong” explosion at the direct reduction part of the massive steelworks.
Safety and emergency protocols were immediately activated, the company said. No injuries were reported. Workers and the local community flooded social media with videos showing damage to the plant and offices, as well as smoke billowing from the mill.
The steelmaker said it is still working to determine the cause of the explosion and assess the damage to the equipment necessary for DRI production.
“ArcelorMittal Mexico is immediately working on contingencies to ensure supply and meet the needs of our customers,” the company said in a statement on Wednesday, Aug. 20.
This incident follows another significant occurrence at the Lazaro Cardenas mill just a month ago. Two power outages resulted in ArcelorMittal shutting down the mill’s lone blast furnace, halting the production of long products. Repairs are expected to take up to six months to complete.
The Lazaro Cardenas plant also features four electric-arc furnaces used for producing flat-rolled products. The status of those furnaces and other production lines is unknown at this time.
Laura Miller
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