Two people have passed away, and ten more are hospitalized following blasts at a Pennsylvania steel plant.
The U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works plant near Pittsburgh has been rocked by multiple explosions on Monday, resulting in two fatalities and injuring ten others, five of whom are in critical condition.
The plant, the largest coke production facility in North America, processes coal into coke used in steelmaking. Due to the highly flammable coke oven gas produced during operations, the plant is inherently hazardous and has witnessed multiple incidents over the years, including deadly explosions in 2009 and 2010 and a fatal fall in 2014.
Emergency teams were immediately dispatched to the scene of the incident, and search-and-rescue efforts are still active. The specific number of people trapped under the rubble, if any, is not currently known. Injured employees have been transported to local hospitals, and one injured victim who was previously reported missing was rescued.
Videos on social media show firefighters battling a fire and a thick plume of white smoke at the plant. However, the source of the information in these videos is not verified by Agence France-Presse.
Following the explosion, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) launched a formal investigation to determine the cause and recommend safety improvements to prevent future disasters. CSB officials stressed that the incident should not have happened and likely could have been prevented.
The U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works plant has a troubling record of fatal accidents, ongoing safety violations, and environmental compliance challenges. In recent years, the plant has faced lawsuits and significant fines relating to soot and sulfur emissions, including an $8.5 million settlement in 2019 to address pollution issues and reduce emissions.
Community members and steelworkers have criticized regulatory delays under past administrations that hindered pollution monitoring and safety rule enforcement, compounding health risks for workers and nearby residents.
In a statement, David Burritt, CEO of U.S. Steel, expressed support for those affected by the incident. The governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, also made a statement about the incident. The investigation by U.S. regulators is ongoing.
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