Demolition of Cleveland-Cliffs stack takes less than one minute

Principal at nearby Amanda Elementary says she heard ‘boom,’ but school didn’t shake

An out-of-commission stack at Cleveland-Cliffs in Middletown was demolished Tuesday morning, and some residents, as far away as West Chester, said they felt the vibration.

The demolition was set for 9 a.m., but was delayed about 30 minutes. The demolition took less than one minute, according to Journal-News photographer Nick Graham who was on scene.

He said one small stone landed on Oxford-State Road. The road has reopened.

Beth Hendricks, principal at nearby Amanda Elementary School, said she heard a “boom,” but the building didn’t shake and there were “no issues.”

She said the teachers talked to their students about the stack since it’s part of the neighborhood.

Neil Douglas, president of International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local Lodge 1943, called the demolition “one small piece” to the clean-up the company is performing inside the mill.

He said Cleveland-Cliffs is “sprucing up” the place.

Douglas said the company is performing “really well” and continues to hire. He said about 200 to 250 workers are needed and pay ranges from $23.47 to $31.58 an hour. He said employees who worked the entire year in 2021 received $10,000 in profit sharing.

The union has about 1,850 members, Douglas said.

Cleveland-Cliffs purchased AK Steel for $1.1 billion in 2020. After that the Cleveland-based company bought the U.S. assets of ArcelorMittal for $1.4 billion, making it the largest flat-rolled steel producer in North America, officials said.

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