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yesterday

Preliminary Findings Point to Valve Failure in Deadly Clairton Coke Works Blast

The plant has halted most coke production, adding uncertainty to blast furnace supplies.

A portion of the Clairton Coke Works, a U.S. Steel plant, is seen Monday, Aug. 11, 2025 in Clairton, Pa. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
The Clairton Coke Works, a U.S. Steel coking plant, is seen Monday, Aug 11, 2025, in Clairton, Penn. (AP Photo/Gene Puskar)
U.S. Steel's Clairton Coke Works plant is seen after an explosion in Clairton, Pennsylvania, U.S. August 11, 2025 in this screengrab obtained from an aerial video. ABC Affiliate WTAE via REUTERS/File Photo
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Overview

  • U.S. Steel’s early probe indicates a gas valve flushed for maintenance failed under pressure, allowing coke oven gas to accumulate and ignite.
  • Timothy Quinn and Steven Menefee were identified as the two workers killed and more than ten others were treated or hospitalized, with several still in critical care.
  • Batteries 13, 14 and additional units have been taken offline, leaving a single operating battery; repair timelines for the damaged ovens remain unclear.
  • Allegheny County Health Department deployed state and Carnegie Mellon mobile air monitors and lifted its one-mile indoor advisory after pollutant readings stayed below federal limits.
  • U.S. Steel is cooperating with a multi-agency investigation that includes the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board; technical investigators are reviewing video footage and interviewing employees.