Blast hurts 20 in U.S. Steel's Clairton plant

PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW ^ | Thursday, July 15, 2010 | Tom Fontaine, Chris Ramirez and Luis

[RS_Rider]

An explosion in a coke battery Wednesday morning rocked U.S. Steel's Clairton Works, sending 17 people to hospitals, a thick black cloud of smoke skyward and inspectors scrambling for clues to the cause.

The explosion injured 14 U.S. Steel employees and six contractors. A dozen workers remained hospitalized last night with severe injuries. One suffered burns on nearly a third of his body, and several were hooked to breathing machines because flames and smoke had damaged their airways. Three workers received on-site treatment, the company said.

"It was a big boom, and then everything just went black," said John Chappell, 59, of Clairton, a janitor covered in soot who said he was leaving a lunchroom in the plant when the explosion happened. Doctors at UPMC Mercy, Uptown, examined and released him. A doorway reinforced by bricks likely protected him, he said.

"It was pitch black, but you could tell there was debris flying all over the place," said Chappell. "I'm just blessed because I know it could have been worse."

The 9:37 a.m. blast bent steel beams and blew out block walls, sending debris 100 yards toward the Monongahela River from the sprawling plant, which produces 4.7 million tons of coke annually and employs almost 1,100 people.

[RS_Rider]

"The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives took charge of the investigation, he said"

BATF?

[GonzoGOP]

The 9:37 a.m. blast bent steel beams and blew out block walls, sending debris 100 yards toward the Monongahela River from the sprawling plant

A blast that big and none dead. Thank you God for small miracles.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

“It was a big boom”

Leeloo: Bada boom.
Korben Dallas: Big... yeah, big bada boom.
Leeloo: Big! Bada big boom! Big! BOOM!
Korben Dallas: Yeah! Big bada boom!

On a more serious note, I hope everyone will be okay. This was a coke plant?

[USMCPOP]

For a description of the coking process, http://www.energysolutionscenter.org/heattreat/metalsadvisor/iron_and_steel/process_descriptions/ironmaking.htm and select COKING.

[USMCPOP]

“BATF?”

Technical help for OSHA apparently: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10196/1072939-55.stm

[RS_Rider]

Thanks for the info, good site too bookmark.

Hope that I can return the favor:

http://digital.library.pitt.edu/images/pittsburgh/

Great photos of steel making / industrial history

RS

[USMCPOP]

Yes, that is an excellent collection. One of my favorites is the Mesta collection.

http://digital.library.pitt.edu/images/pittsburgh/mesta.html

I once had an opportunity to see the inside of a Lukens Steel armor re-rolling mill in Conshohocken, PA. Amazing stuff.

[RS_Rider]

I live just a few miles away from MESTA. I would pay to take a walk through there. Westinghouse is selling nuclear plants all over the place and there are no manufacturers in the USA that can make a reactor head. I would love to see MESTA tool up for this demand.

[USMCPOP]

You might like this Mesta thread, with links to stuff like the 50,000 ton press they made.

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/antique-machinery-history/mesta-machine-50-000-ton-press-169455/

Is there anything left of Mesta?

[RS_Rider]

Is there anything left of Mesta?

As far as I know they are still operating. Years ago they were bought out by Park Corporation.

[Elle Bee]

Obama should shut down steel production for at least six months while we form a committee to look into this

.