Two people are dead and dozens of people are injured, including emergency responders, after a chemical incident in the town of Institute in West Virginia’s Kanawha County.
A chemical reaction occurred at Catalyst Refiners Inc. during a cleaning process involving a tank at the facility, creating hydrogen sulfide.
“At this time, 21 individuals from the site have been transported or have sought medical care and/or evaluation,” the Kanawha County Commission said in a news release. “Of those, one individual is critical and 20 are non-critical. In addition, seven employees of the Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority are being evaluated as a precaution for potential exposure.”
The names of the people who have died or sought treatment have not been released.
“Information is still being developed,” said Kanawha County Commission President Ben Salango at a news conference. “There will be national, state and local investigations about the chemical release … for that reason, we’re only providing some information, information that we’ve been able to confirm.”
All shelter in place orders have been lifted, which included a shelter in place mandate at nearby Kanawha County schools and at West Virginia State University. The university, located near the incident, canceled classes and closed the school for the remainder of the day. Nearby roads were also closed as a precaution.
“Air monitoring is being conducted around the facility,” Salango said.
Kanawha County Emergency Management director C.W. Sigman told reporters that while workers were decommissioning a tank, the chemicals M200A and nitric acid mixed in a pump area, and an explosion and leak occurred. Employees dragged injured workers from the facility, he said.
“I’ve got to say my sympathies to the families and the workers — heartfelt sympathies, but the other side of me says I’m very proud of the responders. I get choked up talking about it,” Sigman said. “As always they worked together. We do it every day but today they stood up to the plate even better.”
Local hospital systems set up decontamination units to receive patients, MetroNews reported.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey said in a statement that, “Our top priority is the safety and well-being of our citizens. The governor planned to meet with Kanawha emergency officials.
“We are working around the clock with local officials to ensure this incident is contained and that all necessary state resources are on the ground to protect the community,” the governor said.
The facility was used to manufacture silver catalyst.
Ames Goldsmith Corp., owners of the Catalyst Refiners plant in Institute, said in a statement that it was “deeply saddened by the deaths of two of our colleagues as a result of an industrial accident.”
“This is an unfathomably difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers are with our colleagues and their families,” they wrote. “Ames Goldsmith is working closely with local, state and federal agencies to determine the cause of the incident, which appears to have resulted in the creation of chemical fumes within a building at the facility. The fumes were contained within that one building.”
There is no impact at this time to the area’s water supply, according to Sigman.
