'Sounded like thunder': Explosion at US Steel plant in Pennsylvania leaves 2 dead
CLAIRTON, PA − Officials confirmed a second fatality in the steel plant explosion on the outskirts of Pittsburgh on Monday that sent 10 people to the hospital.
Allegheny County Emergency Services and the Allegheny County Police Department responded to the blasts at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works plant in Clairton and confirmed the first fatality that afternoon in a social media statement. A large initial explosion was followed by secondary ones, officials said.
In a separate social media post Monday evening, Allegheny County Emergency Services said the second fatality was a person who had previously been considered missing.
"Officials can confirm there has been a second fatality in connection with this incident," the agency said. "This was the last of the two individuals that was initially unaccounted for."
One of two persons first reported missing was rescued, joining the list of those injured and taken to a local hospital, according to Victor Joseph, assistant superintendent of the county police. Dozens of others sustained injuries that didn't require hospitalization, a spokesperson said.
U.S. Steel Executive Vice President Scott Buckiso told reporters at an afternoon news conference that the plant was stable except for the two structures shut down after the first explosion at 10:50 a.m. An investigation into the cause is underway.
Allegheny County Emergency Services said the scene "is now secure" and that the agency, along with the county police department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, would remain on site.
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 that five of the 10 injured persons had been released from the hospital by 4 p.m. ET.
The moment of the initial 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.
Search for missing person amid intense heat
Ambulances and other emergency vehicles circulated through the main gate of U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works late Monday afternoon, several hours after the series of explosions.
Kasey Reigner, spokesperson for the Allegheny County Emergency Services, said there were initially dozens of "walking wounded" who were treated at the scene and sent home. She could not elaborate on the condition of those who were hospitalized, but pointed out the difficulty of searching for the missing person amid the destruction.
"It's really hot and that's a challenge," Reigner said. "Our firefighters are trading people in, who can go in and put in the most effort in the heat, but this is a coordinated effort. We have pretty much dozens of agencies working together outside of Clairton, outside U.S. Steel, working to find the person that's left inside."
'The whole house shook,' neighbor says
Adrian Sparks lives in her family's brick home on a steep hill overlooking the coke plant. The morning explosion rocked her house and "scared the living daylight out of me," she said.
"I heard a big boom and I jumped up," said Sparks, who was sitting on the side of her bed. "I thought a vehicle hit my house. The whole house shook. My bed shook and I looked around. I didn't see anything. I turned my scanner on. They said there was an explosion in the mill. So me and my dog jumped in the car and I rode down by the ball field and that's when all the rescue workers were coming in, police and everything."
As a retired factory worker, Sparks said the fatality from the blast hit close to home. She worked in General Motors plants in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Kentucky before retiring and returning to Clairton in August. She remembers at least one other loud explosion at the plant several years ago.
"I just worry about the safety and the air quality," she said. "These corporations, it's all about money. It's all corporate greed. They don't care about safety like they should."
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 on 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 battery, 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