MONESSEN, Pa. - Authorities are investigating a fatal industrial incident at the Cleveland-Cliffs coke plant in Monessen after emergency crews responded to a report that a person had been pinned in machinery Sunday afternoon.
The Westmoreland County coroner was called to the facility following the incident.
A Westmoreland County 911 supervisor told WPXI that first responders were dispatched to the plant at approximately 4:15 p.m.
The person was reportedly pinned between two pieces of machinery, according to the county 911 supervisor.
Officials had not publicly identified the person as of Sunday evening.
Additional information about the circumstances leading to the incident was not immediately available.
It was also not immediately clear what type of machinery was involved or what work was being performed when the incident occurred.
Authorities have not publicly announced whether anyone else was injured.
Developing investigation
The response remained an active investigation Sunday evening, with local authorities expected to release additional information as it becomes available.
The Westmoreland County Coroner's Office had not posted a detailed public release about the incident at the time of publication.
No official determination regarding the cause or manner of death had been publicly released.
Cleveland-Cliffs had also not posted a public statement about the incident on its corporate news page as of Sunday evening.
It was not immediately clear whether the person involved was a Cleveland-Cliffs employee, a contractor or was working at the site in another capacity.
There has also been no public announcement regarding whether the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is involved in the investigation.
Major industrial facility along Monongahela River
Cleveland-Cliffs describes its Monessen operation as a conventional coke plant that produces furnace coke and related carbon by-products.
The facility is located along the Monongahela River in Westmoreland County, south of Pittsburgh.
Coke is produced by heating metallurgical coal at high temperatures and is used as an essential fuel and reducing agent in traditional blast-furnace steelmaking.
Cleveland-Cliffs says the Monessen facility's location near the river and several regional blast furnaces provides transportation and distribution advantages.
The company's corporate directory lists the Monessen Coke facility at 345 Donner Avenue.
Questions remain
Several details remain unknown as investigators work to determine exactly what occurred inside the plant.
Authorities have not yet publicly released the victim's identity, age or hometown.
Officials have also not said whether equipment malfunction, human error or another factor may have contributed to the incident.
Those questions are expected to become part of the investigation as authorities examine the scene and gather information from people at the facility.
The incident comes as workplace safety at heavy industrial facilities remains a significant issue across Western Pennsylvania, a region with a large concentration of steelmaking, coke production and related manufacturing operations.
The American Desk will update this story when the Westmoreland County Coroner's Office, Cleveland-Cliffs or other investigating authorities release additional information.