Authorities are investigating a furnace fire at a Maryland steel plant.

A state spokesman said Friday officials are investigating the Sept. 29 fire at the Severstal steel plant at Sparrows Point and that the plant has been cited for multiple air pollution violations over the past year.

Authorities said the steel company faces unspecified civil penalties for emitting excessive amounts of potentially harmful chemicals. Plant operators also allegedly failed repeatedly to run a pollution scrubber properly and on one occasion failed to take required steps to limit harmful particle pollution.

Maryland Department of the Environment spokesman Jay Apperson says officials are talking with the company to resolve the problems.

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Information from: The Baltimore Sun, http://www.baltimoresun.com