U.S. Steel says preparations for a routine maintenance task may have led to an explosion at a U.S. Steel coal-processing plant near Pittsburgh that left two dead, sent 10 to hospitals and damaged part of the sprawling facility.

The deadly explosion at Clairton Coke Works near Pittsburgh occurred when a gas valve was flushed before planned maintenance, U.S. Steel said in preliminary findings.

The explosion, followed by several smaller blasts, could be felt in the nearby community and prompted county officials to warn residents to stay away from the scene so emergency workers could respond.