Chemical Leak At West Virginia Silver Recovery Plant Kills 2 And Injures 19
A chemical leak at the Catalyst Refiners silver recovery plant in Institute, West Virginia, killed two workers and injured 19 others. Officials say 19 people were hospitalized and two workers died after a violent chemical gas reaction that happened while the plant was preparing to shut down. Seven of the injured were ambulance workers who had responded to the scene, and all deaths and injuries occurred on the plant site, officials said.
The facility was identified as the Catalyst Refiners plant, a silver recovery business owned by Ames Goldsmith Corp., located near Institute, West Virginia. PBS reported investigators believe a nitric acid reaction with another chemical caused an instantaneous overreaction during shutdown preparations, producing a gas that was concentrated close to the site. Authorities issued a shelter in place for the surrounding area that lasted more than five hours and led to a large decontamination operation where people removed clothing and were sprayed down. Ames Goldsmith Corp. said it was sorrowful and would cooperate with local, state and federal investigators.
Initial accounts focused broadly on a refinery chemical release, but newer reporting narrowed the incident to a specific plant operation and provided the plant name and likely chemical cause. The New York Times and PBS supplied those clarifications, while other outlets ran shorter reports as investigators continued to probe the cause. Officials have not said whether regulators will seek enforcement actions, and investigators are still examining the sequence of events that led to the overreaction.
📌 Key Facts
- Two people were killed and 19 were hospitalized after a chemical emergency at a West Virginia silver recovery plant.
- The incident occurred at the Catalyst Refiners plant, a silver recovery facility near Institute, West Virginia, owned by Ames Goldsmith Corp.
- Officials said a violent, instantaneous chemical gas reaction involving nitric acid and another substance occurred during shutdown preparations.
- All deaths and injuries happened on the plant site; the gas was not widely detectable beyond close proximity, and the emergency involved a specific plant operation rather than a community-wide release.
- Nineteen people were hospitalized, including seven ambulance workers who were responding to the leak.
- Authorities issued a shelter-in-place order for the surrounding area lasting more than five hours and carried out a large-scale decontamination requiring people to remove clothing and be sprayed down.
- Ames Goldsmith Corp. expressed sorrow over the incident and said it would cooperate with local, state and federal investigators.
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Identifies the facility as the Catalyst Refiners plant, a silver recovery business, located near Institute, West Virginia.
- Specifies that a chemical gas reaction involving nitric acid and another substance caused a violent, instantaneous overreaction during shutdown preparations.
- Confirms 19 people hospitalized and 2 killed, including that seven of the injured were ambulance workers responding to the leak.
- Details the emergency response: a shelter in place order for the surrounding area lasting more than five hours and a large scale decontamination operation requiring people to remove clothing and be sprayed down.
- Includes the owner's identity, Ames Goldsmith Corp., and its public statement expressing sorrow and pledging cooperation with local, state and federal investigators.
- Notes that all deaths and injuries occurred on the plant site and that the gas was not widely detectable beyond close proximity to the facility.
- New York Times confirms two fatalities and describes the incident as a 'chemical emergency' at a West Virginia plant.
- Article clarifies that the emergency involved a specific plant operation rather than a broader community release.
- Provides updated detail on the sequence of the emergency response at the facility.