Overview
- Preliminary internal review indicates a gas valve flushed during routine maintenance failed, allowing coke oven gas to escape and ignite.
- Two workers, identified as Timothy Quinn and Steven Menefee, were killed and about ten others were treated or hospitalized after the powerful blasts.
- Batteries 13 and 14 suffered heavy damage and several other ovens are offline, restricting coke output and raising short-term supply concerns for blast furnaces.
- State and federal agencies, including the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, have launched investigations, with communities and regulators intensifying scrutiny of the plant’s safety and environmental history.
- Allegheny County deployed additional mobile air monitors and lifted a one-mile shelter-in-place advisory after pollutant readings stayed below federal standards.