Two individuals have lost their lives, and 19 others have been hospitalized following a chemical spill at a facility in West Virginia.
The incident occurred at the Catalyst Refiners plant, a silver recovery establishment in Institute. The leak resulted from a sudden and intense chemical reaction, stated Kanawha County Commission Emergency Management Director C.W. Sigman. The event took place at approximately 9:30 am EDT on Wednesday.
The plant was undergoing cleaning and decontamination procedures as part of its shutdown process when a chemical gas reaction ensued involving nitric acid and another substance, leading to the generation of hydrogen sulphide, a highly toxic gas. Sigman emphasized the critical nature of initiating or concluding chemical reactions, as they pose heightened risks.
Kanawha County Commission President Ben Salango reported one individual in critical condition, with seven ambulance personnel among the injured. Additional victims were transported to hospitals in private vehicles, including a garbage truck.
Vandalia Health Charleston Area Medical Center, a local medical facility, received multiple patients exhibiting respiratory symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, sore throat, and itchy eyes. Patients are currently receiving assessments in the emergency department.
A shelter-in-place directive was enforced in the vicinity, which was subsequently lifted over five hours later following a comprehensive decontamination operation that involved individuals discarding their garments and undergoing decontamination showers.
Catalyst Refiners specializes in extracting silver from chemical byproducts and can recover significant amounts of the precious metal through routine cleaning activities at the plant, as noted by Sigman.
The owner of Catalyst Refiners, Ames Goldsmith Corp., expressed sorrow over the fatalities. In a company statement, they conveyed sympathies to the affected employees and their families, pledging full cooperation with the investigative authorities at all levels.
The facility is situated near Institute, a community approximately 10 miles west of Charleston, the capital of the state.