Two people were killed and 19 others were hospitalized after a chemical leak Wednesday at a silver recovery facility in West Virginia, authorities said.
The leak took place at the Catalyst Refiners plant in Institute when workers were about to shut down part of the operation, according to Kanawha County Commission Emergency Management Director C.W. Sigman. A reaction involving nitric acid triggered what Sigman described as “a violent reaction of the chemicals and it instantaneously overreacted.”
Seven first responders were among the injured as victims arrived at hospitals via both ambulance and private vehicles. One person remained in critical condition, according to Kanawha County Commission President Ben Salango.
Patients reported respiratory symptoms, including coughing and shortness of breath, hospital spokesman Dale Witte said.
A shelter-in-place order was lifted after several hours, and all casualties occurred at the facility.