Two people died and 19 were hospitalized after a chemical leak at a silver recovery business, officials said. CW Sigman, emergency management director for the Kanawha County Commission, said the leak occurred April 22 at the Catalyst Refiners plant in Institute, West Virginia, as workers were preparing to shut down at least part of the facility.
A chemical gas reaction involving nitric acid and another substance occurred at the plant, Sigman said, speaking at a news briefing. “There was a violent reaction of chemicals and it immediately caused an overreaction,” he said. Sigman also said: “Starting or ending a chemical reaction is the most dangerous time.” Officials said the injured included seven ambulance workers responding to the leak.
Others were taken to hospitals in private cars. In one case, one of the casualties was taken to the hospital in a garbage truck, Sigman said.
A shelter-in-place order was issued for the surrounding area and was lifted more than five hours later. Officials said all deaths and injuries occurred at the plant site.
“You have to get really close to the facility to smell it,” Sigman said.
Officials said the spill required a massive decontamination campaign in which people had to take off all their clothes and be sprayed.
Catalyst Refiners works to extract silver from the remains of chemical processes and can find thousands of dollars worth of precious metal just by vacuuming the floors in one plant’s offices, Sigmon said.
Catalyst Refiners owner Ames Goldsmiths Corp. said it was saddened by the deaths and its thoughts were with all those affected and their families.
“This is an incredibly difficult time,” the company said in a statement released at a news briefing. “Our thoughts and prayers are with our coworkers and their families.”
Ames Goldsmith said it would work with local, state and federal authorities as they investigate what happened.
The plant is located near Institute, a community about 10 miles west of Charleston, the state capital.
