2026 Institute, West Virginia chemical disaster
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| Date | April 22, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Time | 9:46 A.M.[1] (EST) |
| Location | Institute, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Type | Chemical accident |
| Deaths | 2 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 30 |
On April 22, 2026, a chemical release of hydrogen sulfide occurred at a silver catalysis plant owned by Ames Goldsmith Corporation in Institute, West Virginia, killing 2 workers and injuring 30, including one in critical condition.[2] A chemical reaction during the decommissioning of a tank created hydrogen sulfide.[3]
Institute is home to the historically-Black West Virginia State University and multiple chemical plants, which have had a number of chemical incidents in their history and has caused concern from environmental justice advocates.[4]
A previous chemical explosion in Institute in 2008 killed 2 and injured 8.[5]
The plant the disaster occurred at had a history of safety incidents, including two spills of nitric acid within a month in 2013, a federal workplace safety violation in 2018, and had released 1,310 pounds of nitric acid into the air from 2014 to 2024.[6]
Incident
Workers were decommissioning a tank and hydrogen sulfide was created when the chemicals M2000A and nitric acid were mixed, causing a "violent reaction" that "instantaneously overcame" the workers. 2 were killed and 30 others were sent to the hospital, including 1 in critical condition.[1][7]