Fire burns at Midlothian steel plant

MIDLOTHIAN, Texas (AP) -- Authorities say a fire at a Dallas-area steel mill has been contained and will be allowed to burn itself out.

The Midlothian Fire Department reports nobody was hurt in the fire early Thursday at a Gerdau Ameristeel plant.

Fire Chief Dale McCaskill says a minor explosion scattered sparks.

Gerdau spokeswoman Kim Selph says the fire in a nonproduction area involved tire wire, which has rubber on it and is recycled for steelmaking.

Selph says company officials will investigate to further determine the cause of the fire, which was contained after about two hours.

The mill produces rebar, sheet piling, frames and bundling materials.

Midlothian is 20 miles southwest of Dallas.