Pittsburgh: One dead, one missing after US Steel plant explosions

One person is dead, 10 others are injured and a person is missing following multiple explosions at a US Steel plant near Pittsburgh.

Emergency crews were searching through the rubble for an employee believed to be missing.

The blasts happened at the Clairton Coke Works - part of a sprawling industrial complex along the Monongahela River. Firefighters battled flames and heavy smoke that billowed out of the plant, which is owned by US Steel, a subsidiary of Nippon Steel.

Initially, two people were reported missing. One person was found and transported to a local hospital, said Allegheny County Police Assistant Superintendent Victor Joseph at a briefing. The other individual remains missing, he said.

There was no word yet on a possible cause of the explosion.

“It’s still a rescue mission,” Joseph said, adding the probe into the explosion would be “a time-consuming technical investigation.”

David Burritt, president and chief executive officer of US Steel, said in a statement the company was working with local authorities to discover the cause.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro posted on X that there were multiple explosions at the plant and that his administration was in touch with local officials.

“The scene is still active, and folks nearby should follow the direction of local authorities,” he wrote.

The severity of the injuries was not known, but news accounts said several people were taken to hospital burn units.

Clairton Mayor Rich Lattanzi said it was a horrible day for the city, about 32km south of Pittsburgh, long known as America’s Steel City.

US Steel has produced steel in the area since the late 19th century, but in recent decades, the industry has been in decline, leading to plant closures and restructurings.

with AP.