One of three people injured Wednesday in a Lower Burrell steel plant explosion has died.
Daniel R. Vakulick, 20, of Tarentum was identified by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office on Thursday. He died after being injured in an explosion at Braeburn Alloy’s Steel Division.
He was one of two critically injured people taken from the scene to an area hospital. He died at Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison, according to the medical examiner’s office.
Vakulick graduated from Freeport Area High School in 2023.
The explosion occurred just before noon at the steel plant on Braeburn Road. Details of the explosion have not been released.
One of the critically injured people was flown to an area hospital and the other was taken to a hospital via ambulance. It is not clear which victim was Vakulick.
A third person with non-life-threatening injuries also was taken to a hospital by ambulance, Brennan Sites, chief of Lower Burrell No. 3 Fire Company, told TribLive.
Sites did not have details on the type of explosion Wednesday but said all other plant employees were accounted for and there didn’t appear to be damage to the facility.
Joseph Paparone, president and COO of Oil City-based Braeburn Alloy’s parent company, said Thursday an investigation into the incident has begun.
“We’ll continue to work with all authorities as we have since minute one of the incident,” Paparone said. “We mourn the loss of a valued teammate and express our deepest condolences to their family, friends and co-workers. Our thoughts and prayers remain with all individuals and their families who were affected by the incident.”
The team’s safety, well-being and continued support remain Electralloy’s highest priority, Paparone said.
Sites said Lower Burrell police were investigating. Police Chief John Marhefka did not return calls for comment.
The Pittsburgh office of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration also is investigating the incident. The organization has up to six months to complete the investigation and issue citations, an OSHA spokesperson said.
Braeburn Alloy is a 125-year-old company that processes metal alloys, including titanium, refractory metals, high-end nickel alloys, steel alloys, stainless steel, tool steel and carbon steel.
The company, which includes about 25 unionized steelworkers, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2022. The same year, it was purchased by G.O. Carlson, the parent company of Electralloy, and reached a new contract with the United Steelworkers in 2023.