Iron ore was first discovered on Teesside in the 1850s. The steel works, which are being mothballed, were founded in Redcar in 1917
The plant was mothballed by previous owner Tata Steel in 2010. SSI spent millions of pounds making the furnace ready again and it was relit in 2012.
Labour MP Ms Turley accused SSI of playing "fast and loose" with the plant's future, and claimed the government could have done more to prevent the closure.