PENNSYLVANIA, Aug 12: Two workers were killed and at least 10 others injured on Monday after multiple explosions rocked the US Steel Clairton Coke Works plant, located about 15 miles (25 kilometers) outside Pittsburgh, officials confirmed.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said in a statement on X that emergency response teams rushed to the facility following the blasts, with injured employees transported to local hospitals. Search-and-rescue operations continued for hours at the site.
According to US Steel and Allegheny County Police, both fatalities were plant workers. One of the victims was recovered after an extensive search effort, while another injured employee, initially reported missing, was rescued and taken for medical treatment. Nine other workers were hospitalized with varying injuries.
US Steel said the explosions occurred around 11 a.m. local time (1500 GMT) and emergency protocols were activated immediately. “During times like this, U.S. Steel employees come together to extend their love, prayers, and support to everyone affected,” CEO David Burritt said in a statement.
Unverified social media footage appeared to show firefighters battling flames and heavy white smoke billowing from a severely damaged industrial building.
The Clairton Coke Works, the largest coking facility in the United States, processes coal into coke — a critical fuel used in steel production.
