We commend Cleveland-Cliffs for donating $5,000 to each of the 11 fire departments that responded to a fire at the company’s Butler Works on March 16.

The fire broke out around 9:45 p.m. in an overhead cable tray at a finishing line in the plant. The scene was cleared by 1:30 the next morning. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.

Aaron Steinheiser, general manager of the Butler and Zanesville Works, said that Cleveland-Cliffs couldn’t do enough to thank the departments for their work.

“We’re real grateful for them. They were there very quickly and got the fire contained,” he said.

Besides doing some cleanup from the fire, the Cleveland-Cliffs plant has been under normal operation, Steinheiser said. In his remarks to first responders during the donation handoff, he said the employees at the mill expressed their thanks.

“You, as a group, are phenomenal. Your response was incredible. We’re blessed and we really appreciate all you did,” he said.

Joe LaDue, assistant chief of Butler Township Volunteer Fire District, said it feels good to receive thanks for their efforts.

“It’s nice to see a new company making an effort to say thanks,” he said. “Them being new in the community, to see them giving back is awesome.”

Cleveland-Cliffs acquired AK Steel for $1.1 billion in issued and outstanding shares of AK Steel stock in mid-March 2020. AK Steel's Butler Works employs about 1,400 hourly and salaried workers and has 1,469 retirees and 562 surviving spouses.

The employee of an ambulance company who responded to the fire said it is not common for companies to thank firefighters for their efforts during an emergency.

Firefighters risk their lives with every call. It’s nice to see them get thanks and recognition for their efforts.

— JGG