BY STEPHEN BLOODWORTH
CHICAGO - Three Indiana steelworkers died in as many days as result of injuries sustained on the job. C.J. Jones, Jr., 61, a member of United Steelworkers of America (USWA) Local 1010, died July 18 of burns after molten steel spilled over him from a large ladle. His co- worker at Inland Steel, Keith C. Laczi, 42, was severely burned by the same spill. He died the next day. Another worker's hands were burned. He was treated and released from an area hospital.

The third fatality was at U.S. Steel's Gary Works on July 20. Gary W. Niles, 54, a 27-year member of USWA Local 1014, was killed by a powerful explosion when molten steel leaked into a wet slag pit. A U.S. Steel Gary Works employee told the Hammond Times the company knew about the dangerous situation "15 hours before the explosion. A lot of employees were upset because they knew that management knew there was a problem."

Stephen Bloodworth is a member of USWA Local 1011 at LTV Steel's Indiana Harbor Works.  
 
 
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