UPDATED: A fire broke out around 11 this morning at the Sparrows Point steel mill. An on-site employee tells The Brew that smoke and flames engulfed the No. 1 tandem stand of the tin mill, a structure roughly the size of a three-story rowhouse.

Flames spread quickly and were seen lapping at the roof of the mill. Unable to put out the flames (the mill no longer has its own fire department), the company called in Baltimore County fire crews shortly after 12 noon, who put out the fire. Sources said the cause was sparks from a hot piece of metal that fell onto oil residue.

There are no reported injuries, but there is damage to the tin mill that’s likely to curtail production at this critical unit of the plant.

((STATEMENT FROM COMPANY: Bette Kovach, spokesperson for RG Steel, issued the following to The Brew this evening: “A fire at RG Steel’s tin mill at Sparrows Point was extinguished about noon today by Baltimore County fire personnel and did not result in any injuries. The fire was caused by sparks from a burning procedure on mill equipment at the entry end of the line. Repair work on the mill is under way, and efforts are being taken to minimize any impact on our customers.”))