An explosion at the U.S. Steel Clairton Plant in Pennsylvania on Monday left one person dead and dozens more injured or trapped, according to Allegheny County officials, as reported by The New York Post.
Emergency crews were dispatched to the Monongahela Valley facility, located south of Pittsburgh, after reports of a fire and blast at approximately 10:51 a.m.
Mass Casualty Incident After Explosion at U.S. Steel Plant Near Pittsburgh
A massive explosion at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works in Pennsylvania has triggered a mass casualty incident, with emergency crews rushing to the scene.
Reports say multiple people are trapped under… pic.twitter.com/7WMLnBT47X
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Kasey Reigner, spokesperson for Allegheny County Emergency Services, confirmed the fatality and said two individuals remained unaccounted for as of Monday afternoon.
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Multiple others were treated for injuries. The county dispatched 15 ambulances in addition to those from local emergency response agencies.
Witnesses reported feeling the force of the explosion from a distance. “It felt like thunder,” said construction worker Zachary Buday, who was working nearby.
“Shook the scaffold, shook my chest, and shook the building, and then when we saw the dark smoke coming up from the steel mill… it’s like something bad happened.”
The blast sent thick black smoke into the midday sky, prompting officials to urge residents to avoid the area to allow rescue operations to continue.
The Clairton Plant, situated along the Monongahela River, is the largest coke-making facility in North America. It produces approximately 4.3 million tons of coke annually and employs around 1,400 workers. The facility converts coal into coke, a critical material in steelmaking.
The Allegheny County Health Department advised residents within a one-mile radius to remain indoors, close windows and doors, and set air conditioning units to recirculate air.
MASSIVE EXPLOSION & FIRE at US Steel Clairton Coke Works, Pennsylvania!
A thunderous blast rocked the largest coke production plant in North America earlier today near Pittsburgh — triggering a Level 3 Mass Casualty Incident. Emergency crews are rushing to the scene… pic.twitter.com/JVeakCB2er
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While monitoring has not detected soot or sulfur dioxide above federal limits, officials remain concerned about potential air quality impacts.
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., who previously served as mayor of nearby Braddock, called the explosion “absolutely tragic” and expressed support for the steelworkers and their families.
The plant has a documented history of pollution incidents and legal challenges. In 2019, U.S. Steel settled a 2017 lawsuit for $8.5 million and agreed to $6.5 million in upgrades to reduce emissions.
WATCH: The moment the explosion happened at a regional steel plant. Leaving at least 1 dead, and multiple injures as crews search for more people
MORE HERE- https://t.co/SwwCjv2X0Y pic.twitter.com/Bskumc6on1— WTRF 7News (@WTRF7News) August 11, 2025
A 2018 fire caused $40 million in damage, disabled pollution controls, and led to elevated sulfur dioxide levels, prompting health warnings.
More recently, in February, a battery malfunction caused a combustible material buildup that ignited, injuring two workers.
Last year, U.S. Steel agreed to spend $19.5 million on equipment upgrades and $5 million on local clean air programs to resolve a federal lawsuit alleging over 12,000 air pollution permit violations.
Environmental groups, including PennEnvironment, are now calling for an independent investigation into the cause of Monday’s explosion and whether the facility should continue operating.
The explosion occurred less than a year after U.S. Steel finalized a $15 billion deal with Nippon Steel, giving the U.S. government a role in certain decisions amid national security concerns.
Clairton Mayor Richard Lattanzi expressed condolences to the victims and their families. “The mill is such a big part of Clairton,” Lattanzi said. “It’s just a sad day for Clairton.”
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