Kanawha Valley Chemical Accident Kills Two, Injures Many at Ames Goldsmith Plant
A chemical incident at Ames Goldsmith Catalyst Refiners near Institute, West Virginia, resulted in two fatalities and at least 19 injuries, including seven first responders. The accident occurred when nitric acid and another chemical mixed during plant dismantling, releasing toxic hydrogen sulfide gas. This event adds to the Kanawha Valley's history of industrial accidents, highlighting ongoing concerns about workplace safety and chemical regulations in the region, with OSHA initiating an investigation.
A recent chemical incident at the Ames Goldsmith Catalyst Refiners plant in Institute, West Virginia, tragically claimed two lives and injured at least 19 individuals, including seven first responders. The accident, which occurred on April 22, 2026, involved the mixing of nitric acid and a chemical identified as M2000A during the dismantling of the facility, leading to a violent reaction that produced toxic hydrogen sulfide gas. Employees were found dragging coworkers from the plant, described as the size of a small warehouse. Residents within a one-mile radius were ordered to shelter in place, though no external injuries were reported.This event underscores the Kanawha Valley's extensive history of industrial chemical incidents, which have frequently exposed workers and residents to hazardous substances due to what critics call unsafe practices and lax regulatory enforcement. The Ames Goldsmith parent company has a record of workplace safety citations, and the Institute plant itself experienced a nitric acid spill in 2013 that injured two. Environmental advocates, like Maya Nye of Coming Clean, noted this was one of the largest incidents in the area in a long time, drawing parallels to a 2008 explosion at a nearby pesticide plant. Despite past calls for robust safety programs following such tragedies, industry opposition and proposed rollbacks of federal chemical accident prevention rules continue to be a concern, prompting an OSHA investigation into the latest incident.
