2:00 p.m. update:
Ontario's labour ministry is investigating last night's roof collapse at Algoma Steel.
"On December 11, 2024, The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development was notified of an incident at a construction project in Sault Ste. Marie," said Michel Figueredo, Press Secretary to David Piccini, Ontario's Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development via email.
"Reports indicate that no work was underway at the time, and no workers were injured. A ministry inspector has been assigned to investigate. As the investigation is ongoing, we are unable to provide further details at this time."
9:30 a.m. update:
The company has provided this update:
At approximately 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 a small section of the truck door canopy outside the scrap bay of the newly constructed EAF building suffered a partial collapse, likely due to excessive snow accumulation.
The main EAF building was not affected.
There were no injuries and regulators have been notified.
We have been actively monitoring recent significant snow accumulation.
Earlier in the week, we cordoned off the canopy area as the safety of our employees and contractors working on site is our highest priority.
Construction activity continues with the affected area secured.
Snow stops are planned to be installed to prevent overloading the canopy.
All other departments are operating normally.
We do not anticipate any impact to the EAF construction or commissioning timelines.
Original story: 8:30 a.m.
Algoma Steel is reporting this morning that no one has been injured after an apparent industrial accident at its still-under-construction electric arc furnace building.
"I can confirm everyone is OK," says Laura Devoni, the company's director of human resources and corporate affairs.
"I will provide an update shortly," Devoni tells SooToday.
The game-changing $870-million transformation to electric-arc steel-making is the most costly building project in Sault Ste. Marie's history.
In an update delivered one week ago at the B. Riley Securities Energy Convergence Conference in New York City, Algoma officials reported:
- the company has so far spent $672 million on the project
- the melt shop roofing is 90 per cent complete
- the electric arc furnace #2 tilt table and shell assembly was 90 per cent complete
- as of last week, the project was on track
- it involves 12,000 tonnes of structural steel and 22,000 cubic meters of concrete
- as of last week the #2 electric arc furnace operating floor structural steel was 100 per cent complete
- the electric arc furnace substation was 100 per cent complete
- at utility room #1, structural steel was 100 per cent complete
- steel reline station was 100 per cent complete
SooToday will post additional information as it becomes available.