Chemical leak at a West Virginia plant kills 2 people, sends 30 more to hospitals, officials say

Two Dead, Dozens Hospitalized After Chemical Leak at West Virginia Silver Recovery Plant

A chemical leak at a silver recovery facility in Institute, West Virginia turned deadly on Wednesday, claiming two lives and sending approximately 30 others to local hospitals, authorities confirmed.

The incident occurred at Catalyst Refiners, a silver recovery business, as workers were preparing to shut down at least part of the facility. According to Kanawha County Commission Emergency Management Director C.W. Sigman, a violent chemical gas reaction involving nitric acid and another substance triggered the catastrophe.

“There was a violent reaction of the chemicals and it instantaneously overreacted,” Sigman explained during a news briefing. “Starting or ending a chemical reaction are the most dangerous times.”

County Commission President Ben Salango indicated the reaction, which reportedly happened during a cleaning process, produced toxic hydrogen sulfide gas. Among those injured were seven first responders who rushed to the scene to provide emergency medical assistance.

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey acknowledged the bravery of these emergency personnel during an evening news conference. “We know that the first responders, they always run to the fire. They put themselves in harm’s way,” Morrisey said. “We’re very grateful to these brave men and women and what they do.”

The chemical release prompted authorities to issue a shelter-in-place order for surrounding areas, which was lifted more than five hours later. Officials confirmed that all fatalities occurred at the plant site itself.

Patients arrived at local medical facilities by various means, including ambulances, private vehicles, and in one unusual case, a garbage truck. Vandalia Health Charleston Area Medical Center reported treating multiple patients experiencing respiratory symptoms including coughing, shortness of breath, sore throats, and eye irritation. Meanwhile, WVU Medicine Thomas Memorial Hospital in South Charleston cared for twelve patients, including eight who weren’t at the scene but were in the surrounding area when the leak occurred.

One patient remains in serious condition, according to Governor Morrisey, though the majority of those affected experienced non-life-threatening injuries.

The incident required an extensive decontamination operation where exposed individuals had to remove contaminated clothing and undergo decontamination spraying. Despite the severity of the leak, Morrisey stated that preliminary assessments indicate local air quality and water supplies remain unaffected.

“You had to get really close to the facility to smell it,” Sigman noted, suggesting the contamination was relatively localized.

Catalyst Refiners specializes in extracting silver from chemical process residues. The facility is owned by Ames Goldsmith Corp., whose President Frank Barber expressed deep sadness over the incident.

“This is an unfathomably difficult time,” Barber said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with our colleagues and their families.” The company has pledged to cooperate with local, state, and federal officials investigating the leak.

Silver recovery is a specialized industrial process where valuable silver is extracted from various sources including electronics, photographic films, X-ray films, and jewelry. The process often involves using nitric acid to dissolve materials, leaving behind silver nitrate that can be refined into pure silver. According to Sigman, the facility recovers significant amounts of silver from various plants in the Institute complex.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched an investigation into the incident, with up to six months to complete their examination of what caused the deadly leak.

The Catalyst Refiners plant is situated in an area historically known as West Virginia’s “chemical valley,” a stretch along the Kanawha River once dominated by numerous chemical manufacturing facilities. Though many plants have closed or changed ownership over recent decades, the region maintains a significant industrial presence.

As the investigation continues, local authorities are working to ensure the safety of the surrounding community while determining the precise sequence of events that led to this industrial tragedy.