2 dead in 'chemical release' at West Virginia manufacturing facility

BREAKING NEWSApr. 22, 2026, 8:04 PM UTCU.S. newsU.S. news2 dead in 'chemical release' at West Virginia manufacturing facilityTwenty-one people were seeking medical care, including one in critical condition, at a silver catalyst facility in Kanawha County, officials said.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Police block a road near a chemical plant where a leak occurred Wednesday on in Institute, W.Va.John Raby / APShareAdd NBC News to GoogleBy Tim Stelloh and Nick KonopkaTwo people are dead and one is in critical condition after a “chemical release” at a West Virginia manufacturing facility, officials said Wednesday.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The incident occurred at 9:46 a.m. at Catalyst Refiners, Inc. Institute in Kanawha County, authorities said in a news release. Twenty-one people sought medical care or evaluation at the plant, which manufactures silver catalyst, according to the release. Five employees from the county's emergency ambulance authority were being evaluated for possible exposure, the officials said.The facility was in the process of shutting down its operations and cleaning the facility after a chemical reaction created hydrogen sulfide, a toxic, flammable gas, according to the release.The local school district instituted a shelter-in-place order at several schools out of what the officials described as an abundance of caution. That order was later lifted.Additional information about the victims wasn’t immediately available, nor was it clear what prompted the reaction. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.ShareAdd NBC News to GoogleTim StellohTim Stelloh is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.Nick KonopkaNick Konopka is an NBC News Desk Assistant, based in Washington, DC