Home / Disasters and Accidents / Chemical Leak Kills Two at W.Va. Plant
Chemical Leak Kills Two at W.Va. Plant
23 Apr
Summary
- Two fatalities and 19 hospitalizations resulted from a chemical leak.
- The incident occurred at Catalyst Refiners during a chemical reaction shutdown.
- Toxic hydrogen sulfide gas was believed to be produced during the event.
A dangerous chemical leak at the Catalyst Refiners plant in Institute, West Virginia, claimed two lives and necessitated the hospitalization of 19 individuals on Wednesday. The incident unfolded as employees were initiating the shutdown of a portion of the silver recovery facility.
Authorities reported that a volatile reaction between nitric acid and another substance generated toxic hydrogen sulfide gas. This chemical event occurred during what is believed to have been a cleaning process, a period identified as particularly hazardous.
