Fatal Hydrogen Sulfide Release at Silver Recovery Facility

Location: Institute, West Virginia

Incident Summary

On April 22, 2026, a chemical release occurred at the Catalyst Refiners facility in Institute, West Virginia. The incident resulted in the deaths of two workers and required medical evaluation for approximately 30 individuals, including seven emergency responders who arrived at the scene. Authorities reported that the release occurred while employees were performing cleaning and decontamination tasks on equipment as part of a facility shutdown. During these activities, a chemical reaction involving nitric acid and a cleaning agent produced a volume of toxic hydrogen sulfide gas sufficient to overcome workers within the building. A shelter-in-place order was issued for a one-mile radius and remained in effect for five hours while emergency teams managed the site.

Facility Description

Catalyst Refiners, a subsidiary of the Ames Goldsmith Corporation, operates as a precious metals recycling plant. The facility is primarily involved in recovering silver from spent industrial catalysts, such as those used in the production of ethylene oxide. The refining process utilizes chemical baths and extraction methods to separate silver from ceramic or metallic substrates, allowing the metal to be recycled for use in electronics, jewelry, and industrial applications.

Speculation on Cause

The reaction likely occurred because nitric acid was introduced into a vessel that still contained residual amounts of a sulfur-bearing cleaning agent or organic waste.

The absence of a thorough neutralization or multi-stage rinse cycle prior to the acid wash allowed incompatible chemicals to mix in a confined space.

[The rapid generation of gas suggests that the reaction was not managed by a scrubbing system or vent header designed for the high volume of fumes produced during the cleaning cycle.

Local reports identify a specific cleaning agent, M2000A, as a potential reactant; if this agent contains sulfur compounds, its direct contact with strong nitric acid would account for the immediate production of hydrogen sulfide gas.

Top Three Sources

• U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB): Official announcement of the investigation into the fatal chemical incident at Catalyst Refiners.

• West Virginia Public Broadcasting: "Environmental Agencies On Site Of Fatal Chemical Incident," providing details on the chemicals involved and the cleanup oversight.

• PBS NewsHour: National report regarding the casualties and the immediate emergency response in Kanawha County.