Clairton Coke Works explosion: 1 killed, 1 unaccounted for and at least 10 injured after explosion at U.S. Steel plant in Pennsylvania
One person has died, one person is unaccounted for and at least 10 are injured following an explosion at a U.S. Steel plant near Pittsburgh, Allegheny County Police Assistant Superintendent Victor Joseph said at a press conference Monday afternoon.
The explosion erupted at Clairton Coke Works around 10:51 a.m. ET on Monday. While the plant is stable, an active investigation is underway, Scott Buckiso, the executive vice president and chief manufacturing officer at U.S. Steel, said.
Clairton Coke Works sits along the Monongahela River, about 20 miles south of Pittsburgh, and is part of the U.S. Steel manufacturing group based out of western Pennsylvania. Plants like this heat up coal to produce coke, a carbon-rich substance that's crucial for creating steel. Clairton Coke Works is considered the largest coke plant in North America, according to U.S. Steel, and produces around 4.3 million tons of coke annually. Nearly 1,300 people work at Clairton Plant, David B. Burritt, the president and CEO of U.S. Steel, said in a statement on X.
'We are working closely with relevant authorities to investigate the cause of the incident and will provide additional updates as they become available," Burritt said.
The explosion reportedly took place inside the plant's 'reversing room,' sources told Pittsburgh KDKA reporter Ricky Sayer, which is a specialized area within the coke producing oven that's designed to help control air and gas flows during the coal heating process.
'Felt like thunder,' Zachary Buday, a construction worker who was near the scene at the time of the explosion, told local ABC affiliate WTAE-TV. 'Shook the scaffold, shook my chest and shook the building, and then when we saw the dark smoke coming up from the steel mill, and put two and two together and it's like something bad happened.'
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said in an X post that his administration was in touch with local officials.
'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.'
Over the last few years, Clairton Coke Works has faced a number of lawsuits over pollution concerns. Most recently, in 2019, the plant settled a 2017 lawsuit for $8.5 million and agreed to spend at least $6.5 million to reduce its soot emissions and noxious odors.
'The mill is such a big part of Clairton,' Clairton Mayor Richard Lattanzi said Monday afternoon, according to the AP. 'It's just a sad day for Clairton.'
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