2 Dead, Dozens Injured Following Chemical Leak In Institute

Two people are dead and one is in critical condition after a volatile reaction at a chemical manufacturing facility in Nitro Wednesday morning. Approximately 30 or more people — including seven first responders — were transported from the site or sought medical attention independently, according to Gov. Patrick Morrisey Wednesday evening.

Following the incident, a shelter in place order was immediately put in place for a one-mile radius of the site.

A press conference from Kanawha County officials including Kanawha County Commissioner Ben Salango and Kanawha County Emergency Management Director C.W. Sigman Wednesday afternoon described an explosion at the scene while workers were cleaning a tank.

“Other employees drug out the affected workers using respirators,” Sigman said. “Many of them had respirators. When I got there, firefighters and EMS personnel were doing CPR on two of the patients, trying to revive them.”

https://wvpublic.org/story/energy-environment/shelter-in-place-order-in-effect-following-chemical-leak-in-institute/