Apparatus for the production of steel or ferro-alloys comprising an arc furnace having a displaceable vault including a fumes duct section and a fumes exhaust duct having an inlet end, said fumes duct section positioned, in operating the arc furnace, in registration with the inlet end of the fumes exhaust duct defining an intermediary space therebetween, and a fume sampling unit mounted on the inlet end of the fumes exhaust duct and including a tubular casing having a lateral wall and opposite inlet and outlet for a cooling fluid, an extractor tube having an end part extending in the casing and opening outwardly of the lateral wall of the casing by a fume inlet opening, the casing positioned within the intermediary space with the opening of the extractor tube facing the inlet end of the fume exhaust duct.