00:00At approximately 9.31 a.m., a chem-fix incident was reported at Catalyst Refiners in Institute.
00:06That site was used to manufacture silver catalyst.
00:10A shelter-in-place was put into effect for a one-mile radius of the site.
00:16Preliminary information indicates the site was in the process of shutting down its operations,
00:21and cleaning and decontamination activities were underway in preparation for the closure of that site.
00:28At this time, it is believed that a chemical reaction occurred during that cleaning process that created hydrogen sulfide.
00:39At approximately 9.33 a.m., Metro 911 received a call from Catalyst Refiners reporting the release.
00:48Emergency management, HAZMAT teams, and first responders were immediately notified.
00:53At 9.46 a.m., the emergency operations center was activated here at Metro.
01:02At approximately 9.53 a.m., first responders were on scene, and that's when the one-mile shelter-in-place
01:10was announced.
01:12Twenty-one individuals from the site have been transported or have sought medical treatment or evaluation.
01:20I am sad to report that two individuals have passed away as a result of the incident.
01:28Five of the 21 individuals were Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance employees who were evaluated at a hospital for potential exposure
01:40as a precaution.
01:42We are not going to release the names of the individuals who passed or any of the individuals that have
01:48sought treatment.
01:49It is our understanding that the company has notified the families of the two individuals who passed away and one
01:57individual who is in critical condition at a local hospital.
02:02HAZMAT teams are still assessing the scene.
02:04Air monitoring is being conducted around the facility.
02:07Teams are preparing to make entry into the facility as soon as it is safe to do so.
02:14First responders have notified the National Response Center so that appropriate federal agencies can be alerted.
02:20At this time, the shelter-in-place remains.
02:23We do not have a time frame on when that shelter-in-place will be lifted.
