A blast at the US Steel Clairton Coke Works facility outside Pittsburgh on Monday morning has injured several people and left others reportedly trapped under debris, leading to a large-scale emergency response. Although no deaths have been reported, rescue operations are currently underway.
BREAKING: Mass casualty incident declared as EMS resources respond to explosion at U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works in Pennsylvania. – WPXI-TV Pittsburgh
Video: Ava Rash/WTAE pic.twitter.com/pTCCAy7x3x
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The Allegheny County Emergency Services informed that the blaze in the huge industrial plant, the largest coking operation in North America, started around 10:51 a.m. local time. A minimum of five individuals have been taken away from the site, although additional information on their status wasn’t promptly available, with officials noting it as an “active scene.” The incident prompted the declaration of a mass casualty event to enable the deployment of extensive EMS resources.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro confirmed that his administration is in direct communication with local authorities in Clairton. “The scene remains active, and people in the area should take the cue from the local authorities,” Governor Shapiro wrote on X, continuing, “Please join Lori and me in praying for the Clairton community.”
The Clairton Coke Works on the Monongahela River south of the city is an essential part of the steel-making process, refining raw coal into coke. Images and eyewitness accounts from the scene suggested thick smoke pouring out of the plant as firefighters struggled to contain the fire.
As of Monday afternoon, the reason for the explosion is still under investigation. U.S. Steel has not made an official statement yet, but the United Steelworkers Union did confirm that an accident occurred at the plant.