At least three government agencies have opened investigations into a chemical leak at a silver refining plant around Nitro, West Virginia, that killed two people and sent dozens more to the hospital.
The chemical reaction occurred Wednesday morning at Catalyst Refiners, a facility owned by New York-based Ames Goldsmith Corp. that specializes in silver and ethylene oxide catalyst refining. Workers were preparing to shut down operations when nitric acid and another substance mixed, releasing toxic hydrogen sulfide gas.
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board announced Thursday it would open an investigation into the incident.
“This incident has had a real impact on workers, and on the surrounding community,” Board Member Sylvia Johnson said. “Understanding what went wrong is essential so that facilities handling hazardous chemicals can operate more safely and responsibly.”
