DRONE VIEWS SHOW SITE OF DEADLY CHEMICAL LEAK – Chemical leak at a silver catalyst plant in Kanawha County, West Virginia
Two people died following a chemical leak at a silver catalyst plant in Kanawha County, West Virginia, on Wednesday (April 22), officials said.
Officials at the scene, including West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection personnel were seen conducting air-quality monitoring outside the facility.
The incident occurred at Catalyst Refiners in the unincorporated community of Institute, the county commission said in a statement posted on Facebook, adding one person was in critical condition.
More than 30 people, including seven emergency responders, were transported or traveled to hospital, some as a precaution, Kanawha County Deputy Attorney Christopher Settles said.
County officials said they believed a chemical reaction had created deadly hydrogen sulfide gas during cleaning and decontamination of the plant in preparation for its closure.
