Chemical Safety Board opens investigation into refinery fatal chemical release

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board has opened an investigation into a fatal chemical release at the Catalyst Refiners, Inc. facility in Nitro, West Virginia, that killed two workers and injured dozens more.

According to the agency, the April 22 incident involved a chemical reaction during the cleaning and decommissioning of equipment. Initial information indicates that nitric acid was mixed with another substance, generating toxic hydrogen sulfide gas inside a building where multiple employees were present.

In addition to the two fatalities, more than 30 individuals sought medical care, including one person reported to be in critical condition. Authorities also issued a shelter-in-place order for the surrounding community following the release.

“We are opening an investigation into this tragic incident to determine how it happened and identify ways to help prevent something like this from happening again,” said Chemical Safety Board Chairperson Steve Owens.

Board Member Sylvia Johnson said the incident had significant consequences for both workers and nearby residents, emphasizing the importance of identifying failures in safety systems and procedures.

Catalyst Refiners, Inc., which conducts silver and ethylene oxide catalyst refining operations, is owned by Ames Goldsmith Corporation.

The Chemical Safety Board, an independent federal agency, investigates industrial chemical incidents to determine root causes and issue safety recommendations. While the agency does not impose fines or penalties, its findings are used to guide improvements across industry and inform regulators, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The investigation will focus on the sequence of events leading to the release, with the goal of identifying measures to reduce the risk of similar incidents in chemical processing and refining operations.