April 23 (UPI) -- A chemical leak at a decommissioning plant in West Virginia has killed two people and left a third in critical condition, according to officials.
More than 30 people required medical treatment because of the leak Wednesday at Catalyst Refiners, a silver recovery plant in Institute, an unincorporated community west of Charleston.
Kanawha County Commissioners President Ben Salango told reporters at a press conference that workers were cleaning and decontaminating the site ahead of its shutdown when at about 9:31 a.m. EDT Wednesday a chemical reaction occurred, creating hydrogen sulfide, a flammable, colorless gas that can be fatal to those who breathe it, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Twenty-one people at the site were initially reported by county officials to have either been transported to the hospital or sought medical attention, a number that West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey told reporters during a second press conference held Wednesday night had increased to more than 30.
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