Two fatalities and multiple injuries were reported after a chemical release at a silver catalyst manufacturing facility in Kanawha County, West Virginia, officials said on April 22. The incident took place at Catalyst Refiners in the unincorporated community of Institute, where emergency response and county authorities treated about 20 people and reported one person in critical condition.
Kanawha County Commission President Ben Salango announced that national, state and local inquiries will examine the release. Citing preliminary findings, county officials indicated they believe a chemical reaction occurred while workers were conducting cleaning and decontamination procedures as part of efforts to close the plant, resulting in the generation of hydrogen sulfide gas.
The plant is owned by Ames Goldsmith Corporation, Salango said. Company leadership commented to news outlets about the victims: Frank Barber, president of Ames Goldsmith Corporation, stated that those who died were employees of the company, according to a news organization’s report that cited a corporate statement. The corporation did not immediately answer a request for comment from outside media.
Officials provided no further public details about the sequence of the cleaning steps, the specific chemicals involved in the decontamination process, or a timeline for the expected closure. County authorities described the information about the reaction as preliminary and indicated formal investigations across multiple government levels would follow to determine the full circumstances of the release.
The event left local emergency and medical resources handling a cluster of exposures, with about 20 people receiving medical care. One individual remained in critical condition, while the fatalities were identified as employees of the plant by corporate leadership in a statement relayed by media.
County leadership emphasized that the forthcoming investigations—national, state and local—are intended to establish the precise causes, responsible processes and any regulatory or safety failures that may have contributed to the incident. Until those inquiries conclude, authorities have characterized the current understanding of the event as preliminary and limited to the facts already disclosed publicly.
Summary: A chemical release at Catalyst Refiners in Institute, West Virginia, resulted in two deaths and approximately 20 people receiving medical treatment. Preliminary county findings indicate hydrogen sulfide gas was created by a chemical reaction during cleaning and decontamination being conducted ahead of the plant's closure. Ames Goldsmith Corporation owns the facility; company officials confirmed the deceased were employees via a statement cited by media. National, state and local investigations have been announced.