Two men were injured in an explosion at the Rouge Steel plant in Dearborn early

Saturday morning. Fire officials believe a pocket of hydrogen gas in the dust collection
system may have caused the blast. Both of the injured men were treated for dust
exposure and released at the scene. Rouge officials said the plants C blast furnace
suffered significant structural damage and is currently idle.

Firefighters Have Blaze Under Control

POSTED: 10:02 a.m. EDT June 21, 2003
Two people received minor injuries in an early-morning explosion Saturday at the Rouge Steel plant
in Dearborn.
Smoke can still be seen billowing from the area, but Local 4 reported that firefighters have the
situation, which may have included a few small fires, under control.
One worker was injured in the first explosion about 7 a.m. and a second had debris fall on him
during the second about an hour later, the fire department said. Both are now back on the job,
according to reports.
A gas leak and buildup was suspected in the explosions, the fire department said.
The plant remains open.
Rouge Steel is a former Ford Motor Co. subsidiary. The companies share the Rouge complex in
Dearborn.
In 1999, a Ford boiler undergoing routine maintenance exploded, killing six employees and injuring
14 others. State regulators later found 15 workplace safety violations.
In 2001, four explosions and a fire at the steel plant left two workers with minor injuries when a
furnace blew and 2,000-degree molten steel spewed out.
In October, a contract worker performing routine maintenance at Rouge Steel died from severe
burns from an accident at a blast furnace. Another contract worked died of carbon monoxide
poisoning at the Rouge Steel plant in 1999.