Chemical leak at a W.Va. plant kills 2 people, sends 30 more to hospitals, officials say

Key Points:

• A chemical leak at the Catalyst Refiners plant in Institute, West Virginia, resulted in two deaths and about 30 hospitalizations, including one person in serious condition, due to a violent reaction involving nitric acid and another substance.
• The reaction produced toxic hydrogen sulfide gas during a cleaning process, prompting a shelter-in-place order that was lifted after five hours, with all fatalities occurring on the plant site.
• Seven ambulance workers were among those injured while responding to the incident, and hospitals treated patients showing respiratory symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, and itchy eyes.
• Ames Goldsmith Corp., owner of Catalyst Refiners, expressed condolences and pledged cooperation with local, state, and federal investigations, including one by OSHA, which has six months to complete its inquiry.
• The plant, located in West Virginia's "chemical valley," specializes in recovering silver from chemical processes, and authorities believe the local air quality and water supply were not affected by the leak.