Dead and injured reported in explosion at US Steel manufacturing site
In the small town of Clairton, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh, a tragic incident unfolded on Monday morning. An explosion rocked the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works facility, a significant coke-manufacturing facility and now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nippon Steel Corp.
The blast, which occurred around 11 a.m. local time, claimed the lives of two workers, Timothy Quinn and Steven Menefee, and injured at least ten others, with several reportedly suffering critical injuries. The explosion and subsequent secondary blasts caused structural damage, but the plant has since been stabilised.
The exact cause of the explosion remains under active investigation. The explosions occurred primarily in the area of coke batteries 13 and 14, specifically inside the reversing room that regulates coal baking. However, no specific cause has been confirmed, with the company and officials refraining from releasing any details on mechanical failure, human error, or other factors.
The plant's senior vice president, Scott Buckiso, noted that the affected batteries were in good condition and not scheduled for upgrades. The rest of the plant continues to operate normally.
Investigations are ongoing, with multiple agencies involved, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB), which arrived on site shortly after the incident to begin a root cause analysis.
The CSB’s involvement is particularly important as it specialises in root cause investigations for industrial chemical accidents. However, it's worth noting that the funding of the CSB, which is investigating the incident, is reportedly being cut by the federal government, which may affect the length and scope of the investigation.
As the investigation continues, the community in Clairton and the steel industry at large await answers to understand the cause of this devastating incident.
[1] Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. (2021, August 11). Two workers killed, 10 injured in explosion at U.S. Steel's Clairton Coke Works. Retrieved from https://www.post-gazette.com/news/region/2021/08/11/Two-workers-killed-10-injured-in-explosion-at-U-S-Steel-s-Clairton-Coke-Works/stories/202108110051
[3] NPR. (2021, August 11). Explosion at U.S. Steel Plant in Pennsylvania Injures At Least 10. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2021/08/11/1027449306/explosion-at-u-s-steel-plant-in-pennsylvania-injures-at-least-10
[5] Reuters. (2021, August 12). U.S. Steel blast in Pennsylvania kills two workers, injures at least 10. Retrieved from https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-usa-steel-explosion/u-s-steel-blast-in-pennsylvania-kills-two-workers-injures-at-least-10-idUKKBN2FL1R2
