The explosions at the U.S. Steel Clairton plant on Monday not only rattled homes across the area, but they rattled nerves, sending shockwaves through communities.

Deanna Forkey manages Hometown Burgers and Deli, located steps away from U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works. She was getting ready to open the restaurant for the day on Monday when she heard a loud explosion.

"I was actually sitting at the counter, kind of looking it the window, and I heard a loud bang," she said. 

She said loud noises are not uncommon to hear, as her restaurant is right next door to the plant. But when the front door blew open, she knew this time was different. 

"All I could see out the window was black smoke," she said. "It was very dark." 

The explosions sent black smoke billowing into the air that could be seen for miles. Down the road in Glassport, people described the terror of hearing and feeling the explosions.

"I was sitting in my home office, and I felt my house shake," Glassport resident Sandy Lawson said. 

Gary Pozzuto was working nearby when he heard emergency sirens. When he stepped outside to take a look, he says his heart skipped a beat as he knew the enormity of what had happened.

"When I saw all the helicopters coming in, three or four of them, and landing down at the mill. I also saw ambulances flying up Miller Avenue, taking people to the hospital. I kind of felt bad. It was a bad situation at that time." 

After explosions at U.S. Steel plant, families reunite with workers

Family members of people who work at the U.S. Steel Clairton plant rushed to the scene on Monday after multiple explosions at the plant.

First responders were called to the scene around 11 a.m. to begin the rescue efforts, which ended Monday night after the lone unaccounted-for person was found dead. That person has not been identified as of Monday night. The investigation continues. 

People began coming to the plant to check on their loved ones if they did not hear from them. Many workers were reunited with their families at a gas station near the plant. 

"Some people are not going to see the same husband or son or somebody that's working the mill. It's just a sad day for Clairton," Clairton Mayor Richard Lattanzi said on Monday.  

Steelworker describes feeling the explosion 

Veteran steelworker Andrew Macey said he felt the explosion from the south end of the plant. 

"We got numb," he said. "We knew there was something serious."

It wasn't long before steelworkers learned that one person had died and rescue efforts were underway.

"It's very humbling because you think it could have been me, very, very well could have been me or someone that works right beside me," Macey said. 

Macey says his father was severely hurt in an incident at the National Tube Works in McKeesport.

"I had a flashback of that, what these families are going to go through, what I went through, what my family went through, terrible experience," he said.

U.S. Steel says nearly 1,300 people work at the plant.