U.S. Steel to restart coke battery damaged in deadly blast
U.S. Steel is restarting one of two batteries damaged by a deadly explosion in August at its Clairton Coke Works.
Battery No. 14 will go back online Thursday after about two months on hot idle, the company announced Wednesday.
The battery needed substantial repairs after an Aug. 11 blast that killed U.S. Steel workers Timothy Quinn, 39, and Steven Menefee, 52, and injured 11.
The startup process is expected to begin in the afternoon following final safety checks and equipment evaluations. Emissions controls will be active and monitored throughout the process, per U.S. Steel.
The company said it has notified the Allegheny County Health Department of its plans and will remain in close contact with the agency as it brings the battery back online.
“All procedures will be carried out with a strong focus on safety and environmental compliance,” U.S. Steel said in a statement.
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board is investigating the explosion. Its preliminary report blamed an issue during maintenance on a gas valve.
A separate report commissioned by U.S. Steel had similar but not identical early findings.
Battery No. 13 remains on hot idle, U.S. Steel spokeswoman Amanda Malkowski said. She declined to give a timeline for when it might restart.
Coke batteries are groups of connecting ovens that convert coal to coke, which is used in the steelmaking process.
Jack Troy is a TribLive reporter covering business and health care. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in January 2024 after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh. He can be reached at
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