Two people died and more than 30 needed treatment Wednesday after a chemical leak at a plant in West Virginia, authorities said.
Emergency services were called to Catalyst Refiners, a Nitro silver recovery business, around 9:30 a.m. after a “chemical release,” Kanawha County authorities said in a statement.
Ames Goldsmith Corporation, which operates the facility, said the dead included two “colleagues”, while a third was treated at the hospital.
Some workers were being checked at the hospital as a precaution, the company added.
Ames Goldsmith said the injuries were the result of an industrial incident that “appears to have resulted in chemical fumes” at the plant.
The smoke was contained to one building, he said.
Ben Salango, president of the Kanawha County Commissioners, said at a news conference that preliminary information indicated that the facility was “going out of business” and that cleanup and decontamination operations were underway at the time of the incident. It was not immediately clear how much of the area was closed.
“At this time it is believed that a chemical reaction occurred during that cleaning process that created hydrogen sulfide,” said Mr.
Hydrogen sulfide is a flammable, colorless gas that smells like rotten eggs. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, even a small breath of air containing high levels of hydrogen sulfide can cause death. Prolonged exposure to low levels can cause eye irritation, headaches and fatigue.
During a press conference Wednesday evening, state officials assured residents that the water and air surrounding the facility are free of chemicals.
“To the families of those we lost today, our hearts are with you, and our country is sad for you,” said Gov. Patrick Morrisey of West Virginia. “We are ready to support you in every way we can.”
Dr. Tom Takubo, a pulmonologist and critical care physician at Thomas Memorial Hospital in Charleston, W.Va., said 30 to 45 people were in the contaminated area, and each person went through the decontamination process. He said some have been sent back to their homes.
Of those treated, 12 were admitted to the hospital, he said. Four were brought in by emergency medical personnel; others come on their own, he said.
“Some people came from the surrounding areas and were not in the plant area but had bite marks on their skin,” he said.
Other symptoms include slight redness and watering of the eyes, said Dr. Takubo. Some patients who were in close proximity to the bloodshed have respiratory symptoms, such as shortness of breath and chest tightness, he said. But all were in stable condition.
Joe Pringle, 17, of Poca, W.Va., was attending a technical school in Eleanor, W.Va., about 13 miles northwest of the campus, Wednesday morning when a friend received an alert on his phone about a chemical spill.
Mr. Pringle, who studies the installation and maintenance of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, said the episode at the Catalyst Refiners plant was “very scary,” especially since he hopes to do HVAC work at other large industrial sites along the Kanawha River.
The chemical emergency prompted authorities to close roads and issue a shelter-in-place order for a one kilometer radius around the facility. The order was later lifted.
Daniel Heyman reporting contributed.
