A STEEL company has been fined £1.8 million over the deaths of two workers killed in a giant explosion.

Engineers Mark Sim, 41, from Caldicot, and Peter O'Brien, 51, from Llanishen, Cardiff, died at the Celsa UK plant when a blast ripped through the building.

A judge said the steelworks in Cardiff looked "like a bomb site" after the deadly blast.

A court heard a safety mechanism failed to shut down a heater which got too hot and then exploded.

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Five other men were also injured in the blast at the plant in Splott, Cardiff in November, 2015.

Mr Sim's wife Samantha described her husband's death as, "the most traumatic experience I have ever dealt with."

And Mr O'Brien's heartbroken wife Marie said: "Nobody should ever go to work and not return.

"We will always love and miss Peter very much but we need to find some closure now."

Celsa admitted failing to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of risks under the Health and Safety at Work act at Cardiff Crown Court.

Judge Neil Bidder said Spanish-owned firm Celsa had “failed to ensure” that the machinery was safe.

Judge Bidder said: "The company failed to make suitable and sufficient assessment of risks.

"A huge explosion occurred, bursting into pieces the large metal accumulator.

"Photographs of the scene shown to me are reminiscent of a bomb site.

"If the job had been properly risk-assessed I am sure the accident would not have occurred.

"The risk of explosion could and should have been recognised.”

Celsa was ordered to pay the £1.8 million within six months. It was also ordered to pay £145,771.85 in costs and a £120 victim surcharge.

The court heard a compensation hearing will be held at the civil court.

Celsa UK employs over 500 people and produces 1.2 million tonnes of steel each year from scrap.

A spokesperson for CELSA Steel UK said: “We are truly sorry for the shortcomings which contributed to the most tragic event in our history.

“Whilst nothing we can do will ever bring Mark and Peter back, our thoughts and deepest sympathies remain with those closest to them. The loss of two friends and colleagues will always be felt deeply by the whole CELSA family.

“We have left no stone unturned to ensure that nothing like this could ever happen again. All of us work incredibly hard every day to prioritise the safety of every single colleague.”