Chemical leak at a W.Va. plant kills 2 people, sends 30 more to hospitals, officials say
Two people are dead and dozens more hospitalized following a chemical gas reaction during a shutdown procedure at the Catalyst Refiners facility in West Virginia
A chemical leak at the Catalyst Refiners plant in West Virginia has resulted in the deaths of two people and led to the hospitalization of 30 others, according to local officials. The incident occurred at the facility, which operates as a silver recovery business. Emergency responders were called to the scene to manage the aftermath of the leak, which caused a significant medical emergency for dozens of workers present at the site during the time of the reaction.[1][2]
While some initial reports from authorities indicated that 19 people were transported to hospitals, the official count was later updated to 30 individuals requiring medical attention. An emergency management official noted that the leak was triggered by a chemical gas reaction. This reaction took place while employees were in the process of preparing to shut down at least a portion of the facility, though the specific chemicals involved in the incident were not immediately identified.[1][2]
The Catalyst Refiners plant is primarily involved in silver recovery operations. The fatal leak occurred during a period of transition as workers were managing the facility's equipment for the planned shutdown. Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the chemical gas reaction to determine how the leak originated during the shutdown preparations at the West Virginia site.[1]
