OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
2:39 PM – Monday, August 11, 2025
Multiple explosions occurred at the U.S. Steel Clairton plant, resulting in at least one death, several injuries, and one individual missing.
However, other sources report that two individuals, not one, remain missing.
At U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works in Pennsylvania, the blast, which took place at around 10:51 a.m. local time, caused extensive structural damage and prompted a large-scale emergency response.
The facility is considered to be the largest coking operation in North America. Rescue operations are ongoing, with emergency crews working to locate the missing person. The cause of the explosion also remains under investigation.
The blasts filled the sky over the Monongahela Valley, about 15 miles south of Pittsburgh, with thick black smoke.
Sources informed KDKA-TV that the explosions originated in the “reversing room” of two battery ovens. This chamber serves to regulate temperature, ensuring the coal is baked uniformly within the oven.
“It felt like thunder,” Zachary Buday, a construction worker near the scene, told the media. “Shook the scaffold, shook my chest, and shook the building, and then when we saw the dark smoke coming up from the steel mill and put two and two together.”
First responders were dispatched immediately to rescue those caught in the rubble, according to The Associated Press.
Kasey Reigner, a spokesperson for Allegheny County emergency services, told the press that several others were still being treated for their injuries — though police noted that their status is unknown at this time. Local hospitals, including UPMC Mercy, Jefferson Hospital, Allegheny General, and Forbes Hospital, are treating those injured in the blasts.
President and Chief Executive Officer of U.S. Steel Corporation David B. Burritt also released a statement on Monday that read: “Our top priority is the safety and wellbeing of our employees and the environment. We are working closely with relevant authorities to investigate the cause of the incident and will provide additional updates as they become available. Nearly 1,300 dedicated men and women work at the Clairton Plant each day, performing their jobs with the utmost safety. During times like this, U.S. Steel employees come together to extend their love, prayers, and support to everyone affected.”
Additionally, local leaders like Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Penn.) and Clairton Democrat Mayor Richard Lattanzi made statements in response to the tragedy, emphasizing the emotional impact on workers and their families.
McCormick expressed that he was “thinking about all those involved in and responding to the explosion at the steel plant in Clairton. I’m monitoring this closely as additional details become available, but in the meantime Dina and I will be praying for all those endangered and their families.”
“The mill is such a big part of Clairton,” Mayor Lattanzi told KDTA-TV. “For anyone that works, how old or young you are, you have to work every day, you need to go home healthy, and some people are not going to see the same husband or son or somebody that’s working the mill. It’s just a sad day for Clairton.”
United Steelworkers District 10 Director Bernie Hall made a statement as well, ensuring a full investigation of the incident.
“While we are still determining the scope of the tragedy, we are aware that multiple workers are receiving medical treatment for their injuries,” Hall said. “In the coming days, we will work with the appropriate authorities to ensure a thorough investigation and to see that our members get the support they need.”
“The scene is still active, and folks nearby should follow the direction of local authorities. Please join Lori and me in praying for the Clairton community,” Governor Josh Shapiro (D-Penn.) wrote in a post on X.
At a news conference on Monday afternoon, authorities reiterated that the exact cause of the explosions is still unknown, but they pledged to work with U.S. Steel to investigate what happened.
“With their full l cooperation and transparency, we aim to get to the bottom of the origin of what caused this explosion and prevent it from ever happening again,” said Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato.
CNN reported that Pennsylvania has the highest number of steel plant injuries in the U.S., followed by Texas and Ohio, averaging about one severe injury every two weeks.
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