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4 days ago
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Clairton Coke Works explosion: 2 dead, at least 10 injured after blast at U.S. Steel plant in Pennsylvania
Officials said that while the plant is stable, it's not clear what caused the explosion. An explosion at a U.S. Steel plant near Pittsburgh on Monday left two people dead and at least 10 others injured, Allegheny County officials said. The explosion erupted at Clairton Coke Works at 10:51 a.m. ET, leaving some employees trapped under rubble for hours. The plant is stable, and an active investigation is underway, Scott Buckiso, executive vice president and chief manufacturing officer of U.S. Steel, said at a press conference Monday afternoon. Clairton Coke Works sits along the Monongahela River, about 20 miles south of Pittsburgh, and is part of the U.S. Steel manufacturing group in western Pennsylvania. The plant heats 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 the plant, David Burritt, 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. According to Pittsburgh KDKA-TV reporter Ricky Sayer, the explosion took place inside the plant's 'reversing room,' 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. 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.' Solve the daily Crossword
CNN
4 days ago
- Business
- CNN
Explosion at US Steel plant in Pennsylvania leaves 2 dead, 10 injured
An explosion rocked a US Steel plant outside Pittsburgh on Monday, leaving two dead and 10 others injured, including a person who was rescued from the smoldering rubble after hours of being trapped. The explosion sent black smoke spiraling into the midday sky in the Mon Valley, a region of the state synonymous with steel for more than a century. Allegheny County Emergency Services said a fire at the plant in Clairton started late Monday morning. Officials said they had not isolated the cause of the blast. The rumbling from the explosion, and several smaller blasts that followed, jolted the community about 15 miles (24 kilometers) southeast of Pittsburgh. 'It felt like thunder,' Zachary Buday, a construction worker near the scene, told WTAE-TV. 'Shook the scaffold, shook my chest, and shook the building.' At a news conference, Scott Buckiso, US Steel's chief manufacturing officer, did not give details about the damage or casualties, and said they were still trying to determine what happened. He said the company, now a subsidiary of Japan-based Nippon Steel Corp., is working with authorities. Allegheny Health Network said it treated seven patients from the plant and discharged five within a few hours. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center said it is treating three patients at UPMC Mercy, the region's only level one trauma and burn center. According to the company, the plant has approximately 1,400 workers. In a statement, the United Steelworkers, which represents many of the Clairton plant's workers, said it had representatives on the ground at the plant and would work to ensure there is a thorough investigation. David Masur, executive director of PennEnvironment, an environmental group that has sued US Steel over pollution, said there needed to be 'a full, independent investigation into the causes of this latest catastrophe and a re-evaluation as to whether the Clairton plant is fit to keep operating.' US Steel CEO David B. Burritt said the company would investigate. It's not the first explosion at the plant. A maintenance worker was killed in a blast in September 2009. In July 2010, another explosion injured 14 employees and six contractors. According to online OSHA records of workplace fatalities, the last death at the plant was in 2014, when a worker was burned and died after falling into a trench. After the 2010 explosion, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined U.S. Steel and a subcontractor $175,000 for safety violations. US Steel appealed its citations and fines, which were later reduced under a settlement agreement. In February, a problem with a battery at the plant led to a 'buildup of combustible material' that ignited, causing an audible 'boom,' officials said. Two workers received first aid treatment but were not seriously injured. The plant, a massive industrial facility along the Monongahela River south of Pittsburgh, is considered the largest coking operation in North America and is one of four major US Steel plants in Pennsylvania. The plant converts coal to coke, a key component in the steel-making process. To make coke, coal is baked in special ovens for hours at high temperatures to remove impurities that could otherwise weaken steel. The process creates what's known as coke gas — made up of a lethal mix of methane, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. The county health department initially told residents within 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) of the plant to remain indoors and close all windows and doors, but lifted the advisory later Monday. It said its monitors didn't detect levels of soot or sulfur dioxide above federal standards. In June, US Steel and Nippon Steel announced they had finalized a 'historic partnership,' a deal that gives the U.S. government a say in some matters and comes a year and a half after the Japanese company first proposed its nearly $15 billion buyout of the iconic American steelmaker. The pursuit by Nippon Steel for the Pittsburgh-based company was buffeted by national security concerns and presidential politics in a premier battleground state, dragging out the transaction for more than a year after US Steel shareholders approved it. This story has been updated with additional information.
Yahoo
4 days ago
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Clairton Coke Works explosion: 2 dead, at least 10 injured after blast at U.S. Steel plant in Pennsylvania
Officials said that while the plant is stable, it's not clear what caused the explosion. An explosion at a U.S. Steel plant near Pittsburgh on Monday left two people dead and at least 10 others injured, Allegheny County officials said. The explosion erupted at Clairton Coke Works at 10:51 a.m. ET, leaving some employees trapped under rubble for hours. The plant is stable, and an active investigation is underway, Scott Buckiso, executive vice president and chief manufacturing officer of U.S. Steel, said at a press conference Monday afternoon. Clairton Coke Works sits along the Monongahela River, about 20 miles south of Pittsburgh, and is part of the U.S. Steel manufacturing group in western Pennsylvania. The plant heats 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 the plant, David Burritt, 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. According to Pittsburgh KDKA-TV reporter Ricky Sayer, the explosion took place inside the plant's 'reversing room,' 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. 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.' Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Clairton Coke Works explosion: 2 dead, at least 10 injured after blast at U.S. Steel plant in Pennsylvania
Officials said that while the plant is stable, it's not clear what caused the explosion. An explosion at a U.S. Steel plant near Pittsburgh on Monday left two people dead and at least 10 others injured, Allegheny County officials said. The explosion erupted at Clairton Coke Works at 10:51 a.m. ET, leaving some employees trapped under rubble for hours. The plant is stable, and an active investigation is underway, Scott Buckiso, executive vice president and chief manufacturing officer of U.S. Steel, said at a press conference Monday afternoon. Clairton Coke Works sits along the Monongahela River, about 20 miles south of Pittsburgh, and is part of the U.S. Steel manufacturing group in western Pennsylvania. The plant heats 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 the plant, David Burritt, 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. According to Pittsburgh KDKA-TV reporter Ricky Sayer, the explosion took place inside the plant's 'reversing room,' 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. 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.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
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Explosion 'like thunder' rocks Pa. steel plant; 1 dead, 10 injured: Live updates
One person has been killed, one is missing and 10 were injured following an explosion Monday at a steel plant in Clairton, Pennsylvania, on the outskirts of Pittsburgh, officials said. Allegheny County Emergency Services and the Allegheny County Police Department responded to the blast at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works plant and confirmed the fatality in a social media statement. One the two persons initially reported missing was rescued, joining the list of those injured and transported to a local hospital, according to Victor Joseph, assistant superintendent of the county police. U.S. Steel Executive Vice President Scott Buckiso told reporters at an afternoon news conference the plant is stable except for the two structures shut down after the 10:50 a.m. explosion. An investigation into the cause has begun amid the search for the missing worker. "It's an ongoing rescue effort for the one person that is still not accounted for,'' Buckiso said. "We think we know the general location of that employee, but we're not 100% sure.'' Construction worker Zachary Buday, who was near the steel plant when the explosion happened, told WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh that it "sounded like thunder." "It shook my chest. It shook the building, then we saw the dark smoke rising from the steel mill," he said. "Put two and two together. It's like something bad happened.'' The station also reported five of the 10 injured persons had been released from the hospital by 4 p.m. ET. The moment of the blast, followed by large plumes of smoke shooting high into the air, is captured live in video from the BreatheProject, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that advocates for improvements to air quality in southwestern Pennsylvania. Gov. Shapiro says 'multiple explosions' took place at plant Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said on social media the steel plant was the site of "multiple explosions,'' and that his administration will provide whatever resources are required. "Injured employees have now been transported to local hospitals to receive care, and search-and-rescue efforts remain active at the plant,'' Shapiro said. "If you're in the area, continue to follow the instructions of local authorities.'' U.S. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania said on social media he went to the plant Monday and spoke with officials, workers and members of the community. "Search and rescue still underway, air is safe but remain inside,'' he said. "This is still an active scene.'' Residents near plant advised to stay indoors The Allegheny County Department of Health issued a statement saying it was "actively monitoring the explosion" in coordination with first responders. Residents within one mile of the plant were being advised "out of an abundance of caution" to remain indoors, close windows and doors and set their home cooling units to recirculation. Air quality monitors had not detected levels of toxins above federal standards, the department said. Two workers at steel plant injured in February fire A fire at the plant Feb. 5 injured two workers after a buildup of gases ignited, the Allegheny Front reported. The Allegheny County Health Department said in a statement at the time that the incident was the result of a 'hydraulic failure in a switch of the batters which led to a buildup of combustible material,' which then ignited. The statement said a 'boom' was heard and emissions leaked from the facility. The workers received first aid at the plant, were taken to a local hospital and released, the Allegheny Front reported. The Allegheny County Department of Health has a webpage that includes recent legal actions dating to 2018 against the plant, including penalties for emissions violations, leaks and process and equipment failures. Where is U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works? Clairton is about 20 miles south of Pittsburgh. The Clairton Plant is the largest coke manufacturing facility in the country and serves the commercial coke market as well as U.S. Steel's steelmaking facilities, according to U.S. Steel. The longtime manufacturing icon, whose origins date back to the 19th century, was acquired in June by Nippon Steel, Japan's biggest steelmaker, in a $14.9 billion transaction. The Clairton plant operates 10 coke oven batteries and annually produces more than 4 million tons of coke, a type of fuel used in the steelmaking process, per U.S. Steel. What is a coking plant? A coking plant turns coal into coke, which is in turn used to make steel in a blast furnace. The coal is softened, then liquified and re-solidified into coke. Coal in a coking plant is heated without oxygen to temperatures as high as 1,125 degrees Fahrenheit, removing its impurities. The resulting coke is a porous, carbon-heavy material. Contributing: Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Explosion rocks US steel plant in Clairton, Pennsylvania; live updates Solve the daily Crossword
