Two Dead, up to 30 Injured after ‘Chemical Emergency’ at W. Va. Plant

Safety at Work

Institute, WV (WorkersCompensation.com) – Two workers are dead and more than 30 were treated for injuries after a refinery in West Virginia reported a “chemical emergency.”

Officials said emergency responders were called to Catalyst Refiners in Institute, W.Va. around 9:30 a.m. after a chemical release, authorities in Kanawha County said in a statement. The Ames Goldsmith Corporation, which operates the plant, confirmed that two “colleagues” were killed, and another was treated at the hospital and was listed in critical condition. Other employees were being evaluated at a hospital as a precaution, the company said.

The incident was the result of an industrial incident that “appears to have resulted in the creation of chemical fumes” at the refinery, officials said. However, the company said the fumes were contained in one building.

Two chemicals – M2000A and nitric acid – were mixed in a pump area while workers were decommissioning a tank. The mixture caused an explosion, Kanawha County Emergency Management Director C.W. Sigman told reporters during a press conference Wednesday. Sigman said the incident was “a violent reaction” and that the fumes “instantaneously overcame” the workers.

The facility, a silver catalyst facility, was in the process of shutting down its operations, officials said. Ames Goldsmith Corp., said the facility was scheduled to be closed in June. Workers were cleaning the facility in preparation for that closure, officials said.

“At this time, it is believed that a chemical reaction occurred during that cleaning process that created hydrogen sulfide,” Ben Salango, Kanawha County Commission president, said.

The release prompted officials to order a “shelter-in-place” order at several schools, as well as the closure of area roads. Officials described the moves as an “abundance of caution.” The orders were later lifted.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, hydrogen sulfide is a flammable, colorless gas that smells like rotten eggs, and just a few breaths of air containing high levels of the chemical can cause death. Longer-term exposure at lower levels is also known to cause eye irritation, headaches and fatigue.

Some 30 to 45 people were initially admitted to Thomas Memorial Hospital in Charleston, W.V., and all of them went through the decontamination process, Dr. Tom Takubo, a pulmonary and critical care physician said. Of those receiving treatment, 12 were admitted to the hospital. Four of them were brought in by emergency workers, and the rest came in on their own, he said. Not all of those admitted were employees of the plant.

“Some of the people were from the surrounding area and were not on the plant site specifically but were having symptoms of skin irritation,” Takubo said.

Emergency responders also were evaluated, officials said.

“At this time, 21 individuals from the site have been transported or have sought medical care and/or evaluation,” the Kanawha County Commission said in a news release. “Of those, one individual is critical and 20 are non-critical. In addition, seven employees of the Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority are being evaluated as a precaution for potential exposure.”

Officials had not released the names of the people who died or were being treated, officials said.

“Information is still being developed,” Kanawha County Commissioner Salango said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon. “There will be national, state and local investigations about the chemical release … for that reason, we’re only providing some information, information that we’ve been able to confirm.”

Officials said plant employees dragged injured workers from the facility.

“I’ve got to say my sympathies to the families and the workers — heartfelt sympathies, but the other side of me says I’m very proud of the responders. I get choked up talking about it,” Sigman said. “As always, they worked together. We do it every day but today they stood up to the plate even better.”

West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said state officials met with Kanawha emergency officials Wednesday night.

“We are working around the clock with local officials to ensure this incident is contained and that all necessary state resources are on the ground to protect the community,” Morrisey said.

Ames Goldsmith Corp., said in a statement that it was “deeply saddened by the deaths of two of our colleagues as a result of an industrial accident.”

“This is an unfathomably difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers are with our colleagues and their families,” they wrote. “Ames Goldsmith is working closely with local, state and federal agencies to determine the cause of the incident, which appears to have resulted in the creation of chemical fumes within a building at the facility. The fumes were contained within that one building.”

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