Staff at Corus on Teesside have expressed their shock at a blast furnace explosion in Wales, which killed one steelworker.

At least 13 others were seriously injured in the blast, on Thursday night, when molten iron escaped from the blast furnace at the company's Port Talbot site.

The shockwaves from the tragic accident were yesterday rippling through the company's Teesside plants. The steelmen are still reeling from the company's decision earlier this year to axe 6,000 jobs across the country, including 1,100 on Teesside.

Tony Poynter, chairman of the multi union steel committee at the Teesside works, described it as "a black day in a black year for Corus."

"Our thoughts are with our colleagues in Port Talbot and the families of those who died and are injured. I think all steelworkers understand the dangers of working with molten iron because it is always there, but when a tragedy like this happens it beings it home.

People in our works are all affected by it and we all want to find out the reason why it happened. The feeling is very very supportive for our colleagues."

A spokesman for Corus on Teesside said yesterday: "We are very saddened about last night's tragic accident at Port Talbot and an investigation is underway into the cause. Until we have more details, we do not wish to make further comment."