U.S. Steel Tower reopens after caustic leak reported

Hazmat crews continued to clean up a caustic liquid leak at the U.S. Steel Tower early Thursday morning.

Pittsburgh Public Safety officials said Pittsburgh fire, EMS and police all responded to the 600 block of Grant Street after the leak was first reported around 6:45 p.m. Wednesday.

Several area roads were blocked off while crews worked. Officials said the leak occurred in a column of the building that is filled with fire protection fluid, after a contractor performing work on the building drilled a hole.

Officials reported that three people, including two police officers, were treated for minor exposures on-scene, as the liquid can be a skin irritant.

The leak at U.S. Steel Tower has been slowed. Crews continue work to bring it to a stop.
Full incident details below.

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Officials said the leak has been slowed but not stopped, however there is no threat to public safety. Hazmat crews are collecting the fluid and using vacuum trucks to contain it, officials said. Crews are in contact with partners at ALCOSAN and the Department of Environmental Protection.

A person at the building’s security command center, who did not want to give their name, told the Tribune-Review everything at the tower was operating normally and that the building was open to the public, employees and tenants. The parking garage and subway tunnel are both open.