Two workers lost their lives and at least ten others were hurt in a powerful explosion and fire at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works plant in Pennsylvania on Monday. The accident happened at the facility located about 15 miles from Pittsburgh, which is the largest coke-making plant in North America.
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) has launched a full investigation into the incident. The agency’s chairperson, Steve Owens, said they want to find out what caused the blast and figure out how to stop something like this from happening again. Sylvia Johnson, one of the board members, added that the explosion “should not have happened” and might have been avoidable.
The Clairton plant turns raw coal into coke, which is a key ingredient in making steel. Nearly 1,300 people work there every day. Alongside the CSB, local police homicide detectives and the fire marshal’s office are also investigating.
The CSB is a federal agency that looks into dangerous chemical accidents but doesn’t have the power to fine companies. Instead, it offers safety advice to businesses and regulators. Recently, the Trump Administration proposed cutting all funding for the CSB in 2026, saying other agencies like the EPA and OSHA can handle its work, especially since those agencies can enforce safety rules.
As the investigation moves forward, many are hoping it will lead to changes that keep workers safer at this critical facility and others like it.