One of the two victims killed in an explosion at a Pennsylvania steel plant has been identified as a father of three.
Timothy Quinn was killed in an explosion at the U.S. Clairton Coke Works plant, about 15 miles south of Pittsburgh, Monday morning, his sister, Trisha Quinn, told Channel 11.
His partner at the steel mill told his sister he had been loaded into an ambulance after the explosion, and that he looked like he may have been deceased, but she lacked answers for far too long, she told the outlet.
“The steel mill is not giving families any information, and there’s no crisis line to go to,” Trisha told the news station while she was still looking for her brother, before she received confirmation of his death.
“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,” she said.
She said she drove 45 minutes to the hospital to find her brother and provide an update for his three children.
Officials have confirmed that two people died in the explosion and 10 others were hurt. One worker, who EMS were searching through the rubble for into Monday afternoon, was found deceased, according to Channel 11.
He was extricated and is now in the hands of the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The other worker killed in the explosion was identified by family members as Timothy Quinn.
By Monday evening, five of victims remained in critical condition at Allegheny Health Network hospitals, while the rest were released.
Trisha Quinn slammed the plant for their lack of communication with workers’ families during the crisis.
“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,” Trisha said. “We need answers, we need them now, even if it’s not what we want to hear, we need to know something.”
Video showed thick black plumes of smoke rising from the steel plant just before 11 a.m. Monday morning. Emergency officials in Allegheny County reported that a fire had broken out.
The explosion, which was followed by several smaller blasts, shook the nearby community and prompted health officials to warn anyone within a one-mile radius to close doors and windows, set HVAC systems to recirculate and avoid drawing outside air into their homes.
The plant was stable by Monday afternoon, Scott Buckiso, executive vice president and chief manufacturing officer for U.S. Steel. The cause of the fire and subsequent explosions remains under investigation.
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