Times Staff Report

Five of the victims of a fiery blast at ArcelorMittal's Burns Harbor plant remained hospitalized in serious and critical condition early Wednesday.

Charles O'Brien of Westville was listed in serious condition at the University of Chicago Hospital early Wednesday morning, according to a hospital spokesman.

Dennis Baltzer of Valparaiso was listed in critical condition at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

Three of Baltzer and O'Brien's colleagues -- John Ballantine of Valparaiso, Michael Hardin of DeMotte and Jeremy Schoon of Lake Village -- remained in critical but stable condition early Wednesday.

Two other workers -- David Carmichael of Valparaiso and Michael Koller of Portage, were treated for their injuries at Porter Valparaiso Hospital and released.

The men were injured when flames and molten steel erupted from a basic oxygen furnace at the plant Tuesday morning.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation by Mittal and the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration.