I witnessed something similar at a bronze foundry, 0n a much smaller scale thankfully.
75-100 bs f br0nze in the crucible, Iifted 0ut 0F THE FURNACE with crucible gripping t00I.
When moving 0ver t0 m0Id the crucibIe feII 0ut 0f THE t0ngs and burst 0pen.
I climbed the sand piLe everyone else ran.
F0undrymen were suited up, s0 they were 0k.
N0 0ne was hurt, just embarrassed.
The pr0bIem was caused by the t0ngs 0verheating in the furnace 1 t00 many times.

Excuse the f0rmatting and speIIing, my keyb0ard is crapping 0ut.