Tiffani Hurts thought something had hit her house after the explosion.

She and her husband ran outside — where they saw a plume of smoke rising from the Clairton Coke Works at 10:50 a.m. Monday.

“We were terrified,” Ms. Hurts said.

Next door, 13-year-old Koreya Knowell was asleep in her Crest Street home. Initially she thought it was a big clap of thunder. But after calling her mom, Dawn Evans, Koreya realized something must have happened at the mill.

On Caldwell Street, Chris Kerney, 42, was also sleeping when the explosion sounded. Mr. Kerney and his wife, Crystal Kerney, 41, said they often hear bangs coming from the mill.

Some days the noises are louder than others, they said.

Monday’s explosion was the loudest of all.

Two workers were killed and at least 10 others were injured

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