Two die following chemical leak in West Virginia

April 22, 2026 6:21 PM EDT

WASHINGTON, April 22 (Reuters) - ‌Two people ​died ​following a chemical leak at a silver catalyst plant in Kanawha ‌County, West Virginia, on Wednesday, officials ⁠said.

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.

"There will be national, state and local investigations ​about this chemical release," ‌Kanawha County Commission President Ben Salango said at a news conference.

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.

Ames Goldsmith Corporation owned the plant, Salango said.

Frank Barber, the president of Ames Goldsmith Corporation, said those ‌who died were employees of the company, ABC News reported, citing ‌a statement.

The corporation did not immediately ⁠respond to a ‌Reuters' request for ​comment.

(Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis; Editing by Scott Malone, Lisa Shumaker and Neil ‌Fullick)



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