Pittsburg, PA
Grenfell survivors visit cladding firm Arconic’s Pittsburgh HQ
Chris IveyTwo bereaved survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire have travelled from west London to the US headquarters of cladding manufacturer Arconic.
Nick Burton and Marcio Gomes made the trip to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to mark the recent eighth anniversary of the tragedy, which claimed the lives of 72 people.
The company was criticised by the Grenfell Tower public inquiry for its role in the refurbishment of the 23-storey tower block.
A recent Netflix documentary also alleged a senior executive based in Pittsburgh was aware of the sale of its aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding for Grenfell Tower.
Arconic has always denied wrongdoing and maintained its product was not unsafe. Others were to blame, it has claimed, for the incorrect installation and usage.
Killian O’Sullivan/ViewPittsburgh, known as the Steel City of the USA, is the home of Arconic, a multibillion-dollar global manufacturing company.
Its cladding Reynobond PE 500 was used on the outside of Grenfell Tower. It was made of ACM – sheets of thin metal with a flammable plastic core.
‘Systematic dishonesty’
The fire at Grenfell Tower in North Kensington started in a kitchen on the fourth floor and in less than 20 minutes climbed 19 storeys to the top of the tower.
The public inquiry found the cladding was the “primary cause” of the rapid spread of the fire and should not have been used on a building of that height.
The inquiry concluded Arconic promoted and sold the product knowing it presented “a significant danger” and behaved with “systematic dishonesty”.
Family handoutNick Burton was rescued from the 19th floor of Grenfell Tower with his wife of 30 years, Pily. Soon after she suffered a stroke and when she died became the 72nd victim of the fire.
He says it was important for him to go to Arconic’s Pittsburgh headquarters.
“For all these years they’re going about their business making record profits,” he says. “We wanted to give them a wake-up call and show them we are still here.”
Nick’s friend and fellow survivor Marcio Gomes escaped from the 21st floor with his two young daughters and his then wife, who was heavily pregnant.
She was carrying their baby son – who they’d called Logan. But while she was in a coma Logan was stillborn. He was the youngest victim of the fire.
Marcio says it was “emotional” to be in the city of Arconic’s HQ. “There was a lot of anger and rage but also power and strength.”
Nick and Marcio spoke to people on the streets of downtown Pittsburgh about their personal stories and how a local company was connected to Grenfell.
Marcio says it was positive to meet locals who were “fantastic and really lovely” and that engaging with them was “amazing”.
They made the trip with friend and campaigner Moyra Samuels.
“The reception was really welcoming,” Moyra says. “People wanted to listen. We didn’t get any negative responses, so it was really hopeful.”
The group also met some firefighters from a local fire department.
“They knew about Grenfell but they didn’t know about the links to Arconic,” Nick says.
There are tougher fire safety restrictions regarding the use of ACM cladding on high-rise buildings in the US. “They had training about cladding fires but the fire chief told us Grenfell would probably not have happened in America,” Marcio adds.
Ayshea Buksh/BBCThe group’s visit was documented by Pittsburgh filmmaker Chris Ivey. He’s been following the Grenfell justice campaign for many years and highlighting Arconic’s connection locally.
He says he wants to “educate people in Pittsburgh but also to do justice to the community in London that has been suffering for so long”.
Over the past few years, he’s put on local exhibitions and documentary films about Grenfell, laid flowers outside Arconic’s offices on the fire’s anniversary and also driven video billboards by the homes of their executives.
“Arconic have kept Grenfell very quiet in Pittsburgh,” Chris says. “Even when I try to talk to local politicians, they hear it but they don’t respond.
“If it’s not happening at home they disregard it and people say ‘we didn’t know about this’,” Chris says. “Well, they didn’t want you to know.”
Chris IveyArconic rejected this suggestion and told the BBC it had made several public statements about Grenfell, which were also made available to its local employees.
On its website, the company has posted: “Arconic Architectural Products (AAP) is a leading manufacturer of composite material, pre-painted, light-to-heavy gauge aluminum and bonded sheets.
“With manufacturing facilities in Europe and North America, our products are produced with precision and contribute to distinctive building facades around the globe.”
The panels used on Grenfell Tower were manufactured by Arconic Architectural Products SAS at a factory in Merxheim, France.
In another statement made in response to the public inquiry, Arconic said: “AAP sold sheets of aluminium composite material as specified in the design process. This product was safe to use as a building material, and legal to sell in the UK as well as the more than 30 other countries in which AAP customers purchased the product.
“We reject any claim that AAP sold an unsafe product. AAP did not conceal information from or mislead any certification body, customer, or the public.”
On the eighth anniversary of the fire, Arconic said it had “made financial contributions to settlements for those impacted, and we support all efforts to strengthen regulatory oversight in the construction industry”.
It added that it would “fully engage with ongoing legal processes”.
Arconic also said American senior executives were “not responsible for products, process, markets and certifications” in other countries.
“As president of the Alcoa Building and Construction Systems, Diana Perreiah supported the management of AAP SAS in relation to financial matters and strategic oversight only. She was not responsible for the performance and day-to-day running of the business.”
Chris Ivey/Hyperboy FilmsThe group’s visit ended with a video projection of flames at night against the outside of Arconic’s office building.
“It looked so real,” Nick says. “We never wanted to burn their building down. We need to make that clear. But to look at their building and see the flames projected, it was very emotional.”
“This isn’t just about Grenfell,” Marcio says. “This is about going forward. We need to be able to hold these companies to account.”
“Someone has to be prosecuted,” Moyra adds. “That will bring us a sense of justice, healing and peace.”
The Metropolitan Police investigation into what happened at Grenfell Tower is still ongoing.
They Met has said it expects it to conclude by the end of 2026.
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On Sept. 17, multi-platinum country music star Luke Bryan will bring his Farm Tour to 1846 Farms near Latrobe.
Westmoreland County is no stranger to large outdoor concerts. Some may remember the Rolling Rock Town Fair in the early 2000s, while others may recall Luke Bryan’s stop at a farm in South Huntingdon Township just two years ago. Now the country music superstar is returning to the area.
The Unity Township farm’s general manager, Aleisha Stas, gave KDKA a tour of the family farm, which dates back to before the Civil War. She says Bryan’s team first reached out after finding the farm on social media, but she says at first, she and her family thought it was too good to be true.
“This was around April Fools, so we thought it was an April Fools prank,” Stas said. “My whole family, we were like, there’s no way this is about to happen. But this has been incredible.”
Stas says Bryan’s team is handling everything logistically from parking and bathrooms to deciding exactly where the concert will be staged.
“If we have it on this side of the property, we can hold 12,000 people,” Stas said. “And if we have it on (the other side) of the property, it can be up to 20,000. But we have not determined that yet.”
Many of those decisions will be made as September gets closer. In the meantime, however, the farm is holding off on planting in certain fields until the final concert location is selected.
And while hosting thousands of people may sound a little intimidating, Stas says her family is excited to welcome fans to the farm for what they hope will be a memorable night.
“Obviously, we’ve never had this many people here before, so it will be a new thing for all of us, but we are not worried,” said Stas. “Luke Bryan’s team are experts with this, and I think it will go great.”
Tickets for this concert are currently on sale, and they will run you about $77 per person, plus tax for general admission.
Pittsburg, PA
2025 Steelers Offseason Recall: Garrett shutdown as Pittsburgh bullied Browns in Week 6 | Steel City Underground
Steel City Underground presents post-game takeaways in our Steelers Offseason Recall series, revisiting key moments from the 2025 season and how they shaped the year that followed.
AFC North football rarely looks pretty, and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 6 matchup against the Cleveland Browns at Acrisure Stadium followed that familiar formula. What started as a defensive slugfest on a torn-up field eventually turned into another frustrating afternoon for Cleveland as Pittsburgh pulled away for a 23-9 victory.
The win improved the Steelers to 4-1 and extended their remarkable regular season home winning streak against the Browns to 22 games. More importantly, it reinforced an early-season identity centered around disruptive defense, efficient quarterback play, and winning the battle in the trenches.
Looking back, these were the biggest surprises from Pittsburgh’s victory.
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Jalen Ramsey stole the show from Watt and Garrett
Nobody expected Jalen Ramsey to leave Week 6 with more sacks than T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett combined, but that’s exactly what happened.
Ramsey entered the game after missing practice time earlier in the week and proceeded to deliver one of the more unexpected stat lines of the season. The veteran defensive back recorded two sacks and six combined tackles while frequently helping confuse Cleveland’s protection schemes.
Meanwhile, Watt recorded half a sack while Garrett failed to register one entirely.
Ramsey even admitted afterward that the performance surprised him. His production highlighted an emerging trend within Pittsburgh’s defense: pressure was coming from everywhere.
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The Steelers defense overwhelmed Cleveland’s offense
While Ramsey grabbed headlines, the collective defensive effort suffocated Cleveland for most of the afternoon.
The Steelers finished with six sacks as Nick Herbig led the team with two sacks while Ramsey added two of his own. Derrick Harmon, Watt, and Alex Highsmith also got involved as Pittsburgh repeatedly collapsed the pocket around rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
Gabriel never looked comfortable. The rookie completed 29 of 59 passes for 221 yards and struggled once Cleveland became one-dimensional after falling behind. He finished with a passer rating of 66.3 while absorbing constant punishment.
Pittsburgh didn’t rely solely on edge pressure either. Defensive backs blitzed, interior rushers collapsed protection, and disguised looks forced Cleveland into mistakes.
Perhaps equally impressive was how the Steelers handled Browns rookie running back Quinshon Judkins. Entering the matchup, Judkins had averaged 4.6 yards per carry and looked like one of Cleveland’s few consistent offensive weapons. Pittsburgh erased that advantage, holding him to a season-low 36 rushing yards on 12 carries while limiting him to 3.0 yards per attempt.
Through five games played after their bye week, the Steelers had already amassed 20 sacks and were rapidly becoming one of football’s most disruptive defenses.
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Myles Garrett disappeared
The Browns needed a game-changing performance from Myles Garrett. Instead, Pittsburgh’s offensive line turned in one of its best performances of the season.
Garrett moved around the formation throughout the game, but he spent much of the afternoon lined up across from Broderick Jones. With occasional help early and more one-on-one opportunities later, Jones and company neutralized Cleveland’s biggest defensive weapon.
Garrett finished with only two combined tackles. He failed to record a solo tackle, sack, forced fumble, quarterback hit, or pass defended.
Keeping Garrett quiet fundamentally changed how Cleveland could attack Rodgers and allowed Pittsburgh’s offense to remain balanced throughout the afternoon.
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Rodgers stayed efficient and upright
Aaron Rodgers didn’t deliver a vintage statistical masterpiece: he simply controlled the game.
The veteran quarterback completed 21 of 30 passes for 235 yards while distributing the football efficiently and trusting Arthur Smith‘s offensive approach. Rodgers leaned heavily on his tight ends early before taking advantage of favorable matchups later in the game.
His biggest moments arrived in the second half. Rodgers connected with Connor Heyward for a touchdown strike before finding D.K. Metcalf for another score that helped create separation on the scoreboard.
Equally important, Rodgers stayed upright. For only the second time that season, Pittsburgh allowed zero sacks. Cleveland hit Rodgers only three times despite him attempting 30 passes.
Compare that with Dillon Gabriel, who absorbed six sacks and 16 total quarterback hits.
The offensive line, aided by extra blocking looks featuring Spencer Anderson, kept Cleveland’s front from controlling the game and allowed Rodgers to operate comfortably. Metcalf benefited from the protection, turning four receptions into 95 yards while the Steelers spread touches across Jonnu Smith, Pat Freiermuth, Roman Wilson, Darnell Washington, and Heyward.
Meanwhile, Jaylen Warren, Kenneth Gainwell, and Kaleb Johnson combined for 89 rushing yards to maintain offensive balance. Pittsburgh averaged 5.8 yards per play and controlled possession despite both teams having the same number of drives.
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The officiating nearly stole the spotlight
Not everything about the victory came without frustration. Ron Torbert’s officiating crew inserted itself into the game repeatedly as Pittsburgh absorbed ten accepted penalties during an afternoon filled with questionable decisions.
Several pass interference rulings frustrated players and fans alike.
Jerry Jeudy appeared to drag Brandin Echols down by both shoulder pads on one play, yet the result went against Pittsburgh. Later, Browns cornerback Denzel Ward appeared to pin D.K. Metcalf’s arm without drawing a flag.
Even Watt found himself repeatedly flagged for alignment penalties despite checking positioning with officials beforehand, leading to visible frustration from Mike Tomlin on the sideline.
The most controversial moment arrived on special teams. Ke’Shawn Williams appeared to spark the crowd with a 47-yard punt return before an illegal blindside block penalty on Jabrill Peppers erased the play. The penalty not only wiped away field position but also backed Pittsburgh up an additional ten yards.
Despite the officiating frustrations, the Steelers remained composed, and by the end of the afternoon, that discipline, paired with suffocating defense and efficient offense, delivered another divisional win and continued building momentum heading into a critical AFC North stretch.
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