Two Killed, Dozens Injured in West Virginia Chemical Plant Leak – Full Story

Two dead, multiple injured after chemical leak at West Virginia plant A chemical leak at a West Virginia plant killed two people and sent about 30 others to hospitals on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, authorities said. The incident occurred at the Catalyst Refiners Inc. Plant in Institute, West Virginia, a silver recovery business that was in the process of shutting down operations. Workers were conducting cleaning and decontamination activities to prepare for the closure of the site when a chemical reaction occurred between nitric acid and an M2000A chemical, producing toxic hydrogen sulfide gas. Kanawha County Commission Emergency Management Director C.W. Sigman described the reaction as violent, stating that the materials reacted instantly when mixed, exposing workers to the hazardous gas. Two people died in the incident, and one person was in critical condition. Twenty-one people were taken to the hospital, including the two who died and seven ambulance workers who responded to the leak. Authorities confirmed that testing showed no indication of the chemicals in the air affecting the surrounding area or residents. Shelter-in-place orders were issued for a one-mile radius around the plant, affecting nearby schools, businesses, and residents. Route 25 and Route 60 were temporarily shut down as first responders arrived at the scene just before 10 a.m. ET. All shelter-in-place orders were lifted about five hours later after decontamination operations were completed. West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey expressed condolences to the families of the victims, stating that the state stands ready to support them in every way possible. Officials said they would not release the names of the deceased or injured pending notification of next of kin. The Kanawha County Commission confirmed that the incident occurred during shutdown procedures, noting that start-up and shut down are the two most dangerous times in a chemical plant’s life cycle. A large-scale decontamination operation was required, which included removing clothing and spraying down exposed individuals.