A U.S. Steel plant south of Pittsburgh exploded Monday morning, trapping several people under rubble and injuring dozens, authorities said.
No fatalities were immediately confirmed following the explosion at Clairton Coke Works on the Monongahela River, according to Allegheny County officials. However, local leaders cautioned it was still an “active scene” with a search and rescue operation.
A fire at the plant about 10 miles south of downtown Pittsburgh started just before 11 a.m., Allegheny County Emergency Services said. At least five people had been transported to nearby hospitals.
“The mill is such a big part of Clairton,” Mayor Richard Lattanzi said. “It’s just a sad day for Clairton.”
Though steelmaking is no longer the dominant industry of Pittsburgh, Clairton Coke Works is one of four U.S. Steel facilities in Pennsylvania, which still employ several thousand workers between them.
Japanese company Nippon Steel purchased U.S. Steel for $15 million in a purchase finalized in June following lengthy international and political negotiations.
With News Wire Services
Originally Published:
