‘It felt like thunder,’ said a construction worker near the scene. Emergency services said 2 people were believed to be unaccounted for
An explosion on Monday at a US Steel plant near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has left one dead and dozens wounded or trapped under the rubble, with emergency workers on site trying to rescue victims, officials said.
The explosion sent black smoke spiralling into the midday sky in the Monongahela Valley, a region of the state synonymous with steel for more than a century.
An Allegheny County emergency services spokeswoman, Kasey Reigner, said one person died in the explosion and two were currently believed to be unaccounted for. Multiple other people were treated for injuries, Reigner said.
Allegheny County Emergency Services said a fire at the plant started at around 10:51 am. The explosion sent a shock through the community and led to officials asking residents to stay away from the scene so emergency workers could respond.
