8/12 Update from Allegheny County Regarding the Clairton Coke Works
Published on August 12, 2025
PITTSBURGH – The Allegheny County Police Department continues to investigate the incident that occurred yesterday morning at the Clairton Coke Works, working alongside our partners from the Allegheny County Fire Marshal’s Office.
Among those injured, five individuals remain at area hospitals. All are adult males between the ages of 27 and 74 years old and they all remain in critical but stable condition. Additionally, five adult males between the ages 43 and 54 years old were taken to Jefferson Hospital. As we shared last night, all of those individuals were treated and released. Multiple people were also treated and released on scene for minor injuries, and detectives are still working to determine the total number of individuals involved.
Detectives were able to begin assessing the scene last night alongside the fire marshal’s office for the investigation. Interviews have also started with some of the workers who were on site at the time of the explosion.
County Executive Innamorato said: “We understand this is a high-profile incident, but we want to stress this investigation is going to take time. The families of workers killed, those who were injured, and the community deserve a thorough investigation to determine exactly what happened. US Steel has pledged full cooperation and transparency, and we will hold them to that standard as we move forward with the investigation.”
The Allegheny County Office of the Medical Examiner is conducting examinations on each decedent. After the completion of the examinations, updates and confirmations on cause of death determinations will be provided after testing results are received and the next of kin has been provided that information.
The Allegheny County Office of the Medical Examiner has confirmed the identity of one victim to be Timothy Quinn, a 39-year-old male from Westmoreland County. The Allegheny County Office of the Medical Examiner is currently working with the family to provide confirmed identification for the second victim, and we will release the identity pending confirmation.
The Allegheny County Health Department Air Quality monitoring in Clairton, Liberty and North Braddock all showed levels of PM 2.5 and Sulfur Dioxide to be within the National Ambient Air Quality limits throughout the event yesterday. Further, Hydrogen Sulfide levels were also low and below the State’s nuisance threshold level.
Two ACHD staff were on site yesterday for routine inspections and were present during the explosion. One sustained injured, was hospitalized and since has been released. ACHD continues to monitor the situation as it is ongoing and had contractors on site today performing routine inspections of the coking operations.
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