INSTITUTE, W.Va. (RTWNews) — A tragic chemical leak at a silver recovery business in West Virginia has resulted in the deaths of two individuals, with 19 others taken to the hospital, including one in critical condition, officials have reported.
The incident occurred at the Catalyst Refiners plant in Institute as employees were preparing to shut down part of the facility. Kanawha County Commission Emergency Management Director C.W. Sigman detailed that the leak was caused by a dangerous chemical reaction involving nitric acid, leading to a violent overreaction of the substances involved.
Starting or ending a chemical reaction are the most dangerous times, Sigman cautioned during a press briefing.
Among those injured were seven ambulance workers who promptly responded to the emergency. Local reports revealed that some victims were transported to hospitals using personal vehicles and even a garbage truck due to the urgency of the situation.
One individual remains in critical condition, as confirmed by Kanawha County Commission President Ben Salango. Hospital officials at Vandalia Health Charleston Area Medical Center mentioned that patients were being treated for respiratory symptoms—coughing, shortness of breath, sore throat, and itchy eyes.
WVU Medicine Thomas Memorial Hospital reported treating twelve patients, including eight who were not at the incident site but were nearby during the leak. Fortunately, none of the injuries were deemed life-threatening.
A shelter-in-place order was initially issued for the surrounding community but was lifted over five hours later. All fatalities and injuries occurred on-site at the plant.
Sigman remarked, You had to get really close to the facility to smell it, indicating the extent of the hazardous exposure.
A large-scale decontamination effort was launched, requiring some individuals to remove their clothes and undergo thorough cleaning procedures. Catalyst Refiners specializes in extracting silver from remnants of chemical processes.
Ames Goldsmith Corp., which owns the Catalyst Refiners plant, expressed profound sorrow regarding the incident. Company President Frank Barber stated, This is an unfathomably difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers are with our colleagues and their families. The company pledged to cooperate fully with investigations undertaken by local, state, and federal authorities.
The Catalyst Refiners plant is situated near Institute, approximately 10 miles west of Charleston, in a region aptly named West Virginia's chemical valley, though many industries that used to operate in the area have closed or undergone ownership changes in recent decades.
