The scene of the explosion at US Steel Clairton Coke Works.

By Jillian Pikora From Daily Voice

A timelapse video and photos captured by the Breathe Project show the massive plume from a deadly explosion at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works on Monday, Aug. 11, that left one person dead, two missing, and multiple others injured, officials confirmed.

The blast erupted at 10:51 a.m. at the sprawling coking facility along the Monongahela River in Clairton, sparking a fire and triggering a large-scale rescue effort, according to Allegheny County Emergency Services (ACES).

Emergency responders have transported five people to local hospitals while others have been treated on site, officials said. The extent of many injuries remains unknown. Search crews are working to locate two people who are still unaccounted for.

The explosion shook nearby homes and sent a towering plume of smoke into the air — scenes captured in a timelapse video and several photos shared by the Breathe Project. The environmental group is urging residents to wear masks outdoors or stay inside with air filtration running due to high pollution levels.

The Clairton Coke Works — located about 20 miles south of Pittsburgh — is the largest coke manufacturing plant in the United States, operating 10 coke oven batteries and producing roughly 4.3 million tons of coke annually, according to U.S. Steel.

“This remains an active incident and the public is urged to avoid the area,” ACES and county police said in a joint statement. 

You can watch a time-lapse video of the explosion in the video player below: