Young steel worker injured in explosion

A young worker remained in critical condition Monday evening after suffering serious burns in a chemical explosion at the former Bethlehem Steel plant in Sparrows Point, fire officials said.

Baltimore County firefighters responded to an explosion at what is now the Arcelor Mittal plant just after 12:30 p.m. Monday, said department spokeswoman Elise Armacost. The contractor, who was not identified, was burned by a burst of molten slag ? a 3,000-degree steel waste product ? that he dumped into a pit of water, officials said.