One of the two people killed in the Pennsylvania steel factory explosion on Monday has been identified as a father who came from a steel mill working family.
Timothy Quinn, 39, was pronounced dead at the scene, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office said on Tuesday, in the blast at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works plant.
The second person killed in the blast is yet to be identified. At least 10 others were injured, officials said.
Quinn was a father of three, his sister Trisha Quinn told NBC affiliate of Pittsburgh, WXPI.
She told the outlet that she drove 45 minutes from Jefferson to the plant in Clairton, located 15 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, following news of the explosion around 11 a.m. on Monday.
At first, Trisha Quinn said she couldn’t find her brother and feared he was seriously hurt or killed. His partner at the facility told her he was loaded into an ambulance, and she was told he may have died.
“The steel mill is not giving families any information, and there’s no crisis line to go to,” Trisha Quinn told WXPI on Monday. “I’ve been on the phone since 12 o’clock. We drove up from Jefferson, my brother’s not here. Families need answers. This is a crisis situation, and we have nobody to call to see where our loved ones are.”
Trisha Quinn told the outlet that her father worked at the steel mill for over four decades, and called for better communication with worker families.
“My dad worked at the steel mill for 42 years, and he would be disgusted at what the situation is right now. Accidents happen but… they need communication with the family,” she explained. “We need answers, we need them now, even if it’s not what we want to hear, we need to know something.”
Investigators are working to determine the cause of the explosion.
The U.S. Steel facility annually produces millions of tons of commercial coke, a type of fuel used in steel production. Nearly 1,300 people work at the plant every day.
Allegheny County officials said 10 people were transported to area hospitals for “a variety of injuries.” Five were in critical but stable condition, and five were taken to the hospital, treated, and released.
The United Steelworkers trade union said Monday it has occupational health and safety experts at the Clairton factory “assessing the situation and aiding our members.”
“While we are still determining the scope of the tragedy, we are aware that multiple workers are receiving medical treatment for their injuries. In the coming days, we will work with the appropriate authorities to ensure a thorough investigation and to see that our members get the support they need,” USW District 10 Director Bernie Hall said in a statement.
David B. Burritt, President and Chief Executive Officer of United States Steel Corporation, said the company’s “top priority is the safety and well-being of our employees and the environment,” and “we are working closely with relevant authorities to investigate the cause of the incident.”
Gov. Josh Shapiro is scheduled to visit the Clairton plant on Tuesday afternoon and provide an update on the explosion.
“Lori and I are eternally thankful for the bravery of our first responders — and we continue to pray for the entire Clairton community,” Shapiro wrote on X on Monday.
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