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)
