Whyalla workers injured at steelworks' blast furnace

Three employees at the Whyalla Steelworks in South Australia sustained injuries during efforts to restart the site's blast furnace, which has been offline for several months. The accident occurred last Thursday, prompting an investigation by SafeWork SA, the state's workplace safety watchdog. One man was hospitalized with a leg injury and later flown to Adelaide for treatment, while two others received minor burns treated at the scene. The blast furnace, built in the 1960s and last substantially upgraded in 2004, is critical for steel production but its restart process has faced delays. South Australia's Premier, Peter Malinauskas, acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the furnace's future, stating that even a successful restart would only be temporary before a transition to new electric arc furnaces and direct reduction iron facilities. The steelworks has been in administration since early 2025, with the government and administrators KordaMentha actively seeking a buyer. Several companies, including M Resources and Jindal Steel, have been identified as final bidders, with BlueScope Steel retaining a right of last offer. The situation raises concerns about potential job losses, as hundreds of jobs are linked to the blast furnace's operation.

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It will just take some time before we realise whether or not we can bring this furnace fully back up to life. That could take days, it could take weeks. It's impossible to predict at this point. We go into it knowing there is no guarantee of success.