One dead and ‘dozens' hurt after explosion rocks Pittsburgh area steel plant

Yahoo

9 hours ago

An explosion at a steel plant near Pittsburgh killed one person and left dozens of others injured, with some trapped under rubble as emergency responders tried to rescue them, officials said.
At least one person was killed in the explosion, officials told Channel 11. Authorities have declared a Level 3 Mass Casualty Incident, according to Kasey Reigner, a spokesperson for the Allegheny County Department of Emergency Services.
The fire broke out at the U.S. Clairton Coke Works plant in Clairton, about 15 miles south of Pittsburgh, around 10:51 a.m. Monday morning, the agency said.
Five people were transported, but EMS officials declined to share their conditions, saying it was still an 'active scene.'
EMS was scouring the rubble for the people who were unaccounted for as of noon, officials told Channel 11.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said his administration was working with local officials in Clairton.
'The scene is still active, and folks nearby should follow the direction of local authorities,' Shapiro wrote. 'Please join Lori and me in praying for the Clairton community.'
Clairton Mayor Rich Lattanzi wrote on social media that he was 'asking for multiple ambulances' to be sent to the scene.
'My prayers go out to anyone involved in this tragedy and their families and the community,' he said.
Zachary Buday, a construction worker near the scene, told WTAE that the explosion sounded like thunder.
'It shook my chest. It shook the building, then we saw the dark smoke rising from the steel mill,' Buday said. 'Put two and two together. It's like something bad happened.'
Buday said he couldn't see the fire that erupted from the plant, but saw the thick gray smoke clouding over the area.
'Lots of ambulances, lots of sirens. It sounded like thunder,' he added.
Allegheny County officials are monitoring air quality in the surrounding area.
The Clairton Coke Works is considered the largest coking operation in North America, and employs thousands of people in Pennsylvania.
Coking is the process of heating coal in the absence of oxygen to above 1,112 degrees Fahrenheit to drive off the volatile components of the raw coal, and is a critical component in steelmaking.
With reporting by the Associated Press...
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