Two Dead, 19 Hurt in WV Chemical Spill at Institute Plant
Two Dead, 19 Hurt in WV Chemical Spill at Institute Plant
A chemical spill at a West Virginia plant left two dead and 19 injured as responders managed a hydrogen sulfide release during shutdown preparations at Institute.
Two people died and 19 others were hospitalized after a chemical spill at a West Virginia plant, authorities said. The leak happened at the Catalyst Refiners plant, a silver recovery business in Institute, around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday as workers were cleaning and preparing to shut down part of the facility. Officials described the incident as a chemical gas reaction involving nitric acid and another substance, M2000A, that produced hydrogen sulfide, a highly toxic gas, sparking a violent reaction.
First responders arrived just before 10 a.m., and a shelter-in-place order was issued for about a one-mile radius around the site. A public alert system notified nearby residents and businesses. Officials closed Route 25 in front of the plant, and Route 60 was briefly shut as the response unfolded. Nearby schools also sheltered in place out of caution, though those measures were lifted after about five hours.
Twenty-one people were taken to hospitals for treatment, including seven ambulance workers who were responding to the leak. Authorities said they would not release the names of the deceased or the patients being treated. The scale of the decontamination operation was sizable: people were required to remove clothing and undergo decontamination spray as a precaution against residual contamination.
Kanawha County Emergency Management Director C.W. Sigman noted that the two most dangerous times in a chemical plant’s life are startup and shutdown, underscoring the need for strict procedures during these moments. Investigators are examining how the release occurred and whether any equipment or process failures contributed to the incident. Officials did not immediately determine the root cause or the scope of the chemical release.
Community leaders said the response highlighted the challenges of maintaining safety in facilities that handle hazardous materials. As updates continue, residents are urged to stay tuned to official channels for information and guidance on health monitoring, air quality, and any potential follow-up measures.
