Virginia
Chemical leak at a West Virginia plant kills 2 people and sends 19 to hospital, officials say
INSTITUTE, W.Va. — A chemical leak at a West Virginia silver recovery business on Wednesday killed two people and sent 19 others to the hospital, including one in critical condition, authorities said.
The leak occurred at the Catalyst Refiners plant in Institute as workers were preparing to shut down at least part of the facility, Kanawha County Commission Emergency Management Director C.W. Sigman said.
A chemical gas reaction occurred at the plant involving nitric acid and another substance, Sigman said at a news briefing. He added that there was “a violent reaction of the chemicals and it instantaneously overreacted.”
“Starting or ending a chemical reaction are the most dangerous times,” Sigman said.
The chemical reaction that was believed to have occurred during a cleaning process produced toxic hydrogen sulfide, Kanawha County Commission President Ben Salango said.
Among the injured were seven ambulance workers responding to the leak, officials said.
Other people were taken to the hospitals in private cars or even in one case a garbage truck, Sigman said.
One person was in critical condition, Salango said.
Vandalia Health Charleston Area Medical Center, one of several hospitals in the area, was treating multiple patients, some brought by ambulance, while members of the community were arriving Wednesday afternoon asking to be checked, hospital spokesman Dale Witte said.
Witte said patients were experiencing respiratory symptoms including cough, shortness of breath, sore throat and itchy eyes. They were being evaluated in the emergency room.
WVU Medicine Thomas Memorial Hospital in South Charleston said in a statement it has cared for a dozen patients, including eight who arrived by personal vehicle and were not at the scene but were in the area at the time. It said those injuries were not considered life-threatening.
A shelter-in-place order was issued for the surrounding area and lifted more than five hours later. Officials said all the deaths occurred on the plant site.
“You had to get really close to the facility to smell it,” Sigman said.
The leak required a large-scale decontamination operation in which people had to remove their clothes and be sprayed down, authorities said.
Catalyst Refiners works to remove silver from what remains of chemical processes and can find thousands of dollars of the precious metal just by vacuuming the floors in a plant’s offices, Sigman said.
Ames Goldsmith Corp., the owner of Catalyst Refiners, said it is saddened by the deaths and its thoughts were with all those affected and their families.
“This is an unfathomably difficult time,” company President Frank Barber said in a statement released at the briefing. “Our thoughts and prayers are with our colleagues and their families.”
Ames Goldsmith promised to work with local, state and federal officials as they investigate the leak. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has opened an investigation into what happened, a spokesperson said, adding that the agency has six months to complete its examination.
Silver is in a number of items ranging from circuit boards and other electronics, photographic and X-Ray films and jewelry. Nitric acid is used to dissolve materials, leaving behind silver nitrate that can be processed to recover pure silver. Recovery businesses can also crush or sandblast items with silver and use magnets or differences in density to sort out the precious metal.
Sigman said Ames Goldsmith recovers silver from the various plants at the Institute complex “and they’ll use it again. When they vacuum their carpets in their office, they recover so many thousands of dollars’ worth of silver out of it just vacuuming their carpets.”
The plant is located near Institute, a community about 10 miles west of Charleston, the state capital. The plant is in a region known as West Virginia’s “chemical valley,” although many plants that lined the area along the Kanawha River and produced hazardous materials have closed or changed ownership in the past several decades.
Raby writes for the Associated Press. Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, S.C., and Gary Robertson in Raleigh, N.C., contributed to this report.
A West Virginia man is charged with second-degree murder and concealment of a body connected to a woman with ties to the Tri-Cities.
Court records reveal Angela Whitaker’s sister reported her missing after she stopped contacting family in Bristol, Virginia.
Investigators said Whitaker had recently moved to Bluefield to live with Donald Pennington, whom she had previously met while he worked at an O’Reilly Auto Parts store in Bristol. The sister told investigators Pennington offered her an assistant manager role, which prompted the move.
The complaint details Facebook messages, surveillance video, and witness statements that allegedly link Pennington to Whitaker’s death and the disposal of her body in a wooded area near Bastian, Virginia.
Court documents said the body was recovered last week by investigators in Bland County and taken for an autopsy.
Pennington remains in jail on a $500,000 bond.
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The Virginia Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 17, 2026, results for each game:
Pick 3
DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.
Night: 9-5-3, FB: 6
Day: 8-7-2, FB: 1
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 4
DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.
Night: 8-3-5-6, FB: 1
Day: 4-9-2-8, FB: 3
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 5
DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.
Night: 8-9-3-9-0, FB: 7
Day: 5-6-3-7-0, FB: 3
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Cash Pop
Drawing times: Coffee Break 9 a.m.; Lunch Break 12 p.m.; Rush Hour 5 p.m.; Prime Time 9 p.m.; After Hours 11:59 p.m.
Coffee Break: 04
After Hours: 11
Prime Time: 10
Rush Hour: 09
Lunch Break: 06
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Cash 5
Drawing every day at 11 p.m.
02-12-15-25-39
Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Millionaire for Life
Drawing everyday at 11:15 p.m.
11-23-41-45-55, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Center for Community Journalism (CCJ) editor. You can send feedback using this form.
With its season on the line, Virginia Tech softball takes on LSU today at 2 p.m. ET. The Hokies need to win two games to advance to Super Regionals, while the Tigers need just one. Read below for a game thread, organized in reverse chronological order.
FINAL | LSU 7, Virginia Tech 2
That’ll do it. The Hokies’ 2026 season comes to an end. Avery Hodge makes the catch, and LSU is headed to the Super Regionals. For the fourth straight season, Virginia Tech comes up empty in regional play.
B7 | LSU 7, Virginia Tech 2
Monticelli has Gaby Mizelle down in a 0-2 count. The LSU starter has retired 15 straight Hokies.
B7 | LSU 7, Virginia Tech 2
Rachel Castine flies out to left on the 2-2 delivery. Lorenz backed up and caught it on the warning track. The Hokies are down to their final out of the season. They need five runs.
B7 | LSU 7, Virginia Tech 2
Nora Abromavage pops up. The Hokies are down to two outs.
M7 | LSU 7, Virginia Tech 2
The Hokies set down the side in order. Just like yesterday, they sit in a five-run hole entering the bottom of the seventh with their season hanging in the balance. Three outs to produce at least five runs, or their season’s over.
E6 | LSU 7, Virginia Tech 2
A five-pitch sixth followed a seven-pitch fifth for Monticelli. The Hokies will enter B7 — if they can hold LSU below three runs in T7 to avoid the enacting of the run-rule — in at least a five-run rut. Sounds familiar, though.
B6 | LSU 7, Virginia Tech 2
Four. Kylie Aldridge popped up high to the pitcher’s circle. Paytn Montcelli has retired the Hokies’ last 12 batters.
B6 | LSU 7, Virginia Tech 2
Edwards to Edwards (Kylee to Tori) for the grounder. Virginia Tech has five outs left.
M6 | LSU 7, Virginia Tech 2
Layton escaped the jam. Bases were loaded, but Layton worked back from a 2-0 count for a strikeout. Virginia Tech has six outs to make up five runs.
T6 | LSU 7, Virginia Tech 2
Avery Hodge reached on a fielding error by Lynch (The sequence that scored Franklin was ruled the same.). Bases are loaded.
T6 | LSU 7, Virginia Tech 2
Ruling on the field stands. The inning is not over, and the Hokies are out of challenges.
T6 | LSU 7, Virginia Tech 2
Virginia Tech is challenging that Tori Edwards left early. It looks very, very close on the TV replay.
T6 | LSU 7, Virginia Tech 2
Ally Hutchins RBI single. LSU leads by five. Looks like Rohs came up limping after the sequence.
T6 | LSU 6, Virginia Tech 2
Tori Edwards, single through the left on her first pitch. Runners at the corners.
T6 | LSU 6, Virginia Tech 2
Franklin blasted a one-hop shot that ricocheted off the right-field wall. Leadoff double.
E5 | LSU 6, Virginia Tech 2
Make it six. Monticelli has retired the Hokies’ last 10 batters.
B5 | LSU 6, Virginia Tech 2
Man, that one looks like it could’ve gone out. Addison Foster nearly skied a solo shot. But Franklin tracked it down and grabbed it when it was over the wall. Somehow managed to keep it. Seven outs left.
T5 | LSU 6, Virginia Tech 2
Call confirmed — and the Hokies lose a challenge. Emma Mazzarone is coming out; in comes Avery Layton.
T5 | LSU 6*, Virginia Tech 2
Another run scratches across when Virginia Tech logged a fielder’s choice at first. Believe Hokies head coach Pete D’Amour is challenging that the runner from first to second interfered with the throw to first.
T5| LSU 5, Virginia Tech 2
No outs. Rohs saved more runs from getting across by corraling it at short. The Hokies are now down three.
T5 | LSU 4, Virginia Tech 2
Mazzarone conceded a full-count walk, then a wild pitch. She’s now on her second straight full count; this one’s against Ally Hutchins.
E4 | LSU 4, Virginia Tech 2
Another 1-2-3 frame. Monticelli pitched two full-count at-bats, but circumnavigated both.
M4 | LSU 4, Virginia Tech 2
Bergeron reached on a fielder’s choice that outed Alix Franklin at third. The Hokies have yielded nine hits today, but they’re only down two heading into the bottom half of the fourth.
T4 | LSU 4, Virginia Tech 2
Or not. Alix Franklin got one in the zone and doubled deep into left. LSU has one aboard with two outs.
T4 | LSU 4, Virginia Tech 2
Flashing the leather. Kylee Edwards fired a liner that Annika Rohs snagged. Two outs. After the HBP, Mazzarone appears to have settled down.
E3 | LSU 4, Virginia Tech 2
1-2-3 frame for Monticelli to close out the third. She set down the side in only seven pitches.
M3 | LSU 4, Virginia Tech 2
Abromavage snagged a fly ball, and the bases were left loaded. A four-spot for LSU — their second this weekend against the Hokies — has them up two as we head into B3.
T3 | LSU 4, Virginia Tech 2
LSU challenged for a hit-by-pitch and got it. The bases are loaded with two outs. The Hokies are in trouble.
T3 | LSU 4, Virginia Tech 2
Ally Hutchins blooped a double up near the right-field line. Looks like Carrico jammed up Hutchins, but she still got it up. Rachel Castine couldn’t corral it, and Bergeron scored. Carrico’s outing is done; in comes Emma Mazzarone.
T3 | LSU 3, Virginia Tech 2
And just like that, the Tigers are in front. Tori Edwards grounded out to place Alix Franklin and Kylee Edwards on second and third base, respectively. Then, Maci Bergeron drilled a single through the left side to score both.
T3 | Virginia Tech 2, LSU 1
Solo shot, Jalia Lassiter. The Hokies’ lead has been sliced in half.
E2 | Virginia Tech 2, LSU 0
Lynch flew out to center to leave Foster on, but like in B1, the Hokies did more damage, scoring their second run of the game. The two runs they’ve scored today are the first that LSU has allowed this whole regional.
B2 | Virginia Tech 2, LSU 0
Holy moly. Virginia Tech quickly picked up two outs. Annika Rohs pushed a single up the middle and advanced to second via a passed ball. Then, Foster singled to second and beat the throw while Rohs went for a gutsy head-first slide to home.
M2 | Virginia Tech 1, LSU 0
No dice for LSU. It placed a runner aboard via a leadoff single from Maci Bergeron (then, a fielder’s choice that retired Bergeron as the lead runner). Carrico was worked to two full counts in the first, but she didn’t go through any in T2.
E1 | Virginia Tech 1, LSU 0
Monticelli stranded two with a Nora Abromavage pop-up. The Hokies, though, have already put up more hits today (three) than they did against the Tigers in yesterday’s run-rule (two).
B1 | Virginia Tech 1, LSU 0
LSU starter Paytn Monticelli struck out Zoe Yaeger looking on a 2-2 delivery and induced a 0-2 fly ball from Kylie Aldridge. She did concede a two-out single through the left to Michelle Chatfield, though.
B1 | Virginia Tech 1, LSU 0
LSU allows its first run in this regional. It was a Jordan Lynch single that zipped down the right-field line, bringing Foster around. That’s also Lynch’s first RBI in the regional.
B1 | Virginia Tech 0, LSU 0
Leadoff double from Addison Foster. That’s her 20th of the season — she broke the program’s single-season record yesterday.
M1 | Virginia Tech 0, LSU 0
Tori Edwards worked back from a 0-2 count to a payoff pitch, but she grounded to short. Addison Foster, Jordan Lynch and Zoe Yaeger are due up for the #Hokies.
T1 | Virginia Tech 0, LSU 0
Sierra Daniel produced a full-count single that bounced down near the left-field line, but Carrico induced a foul out of shortstop Kylee Edwards. Virginia Tech’s one out away.
T1 | Virginia Tech 0, LSU 0
Virginia Tech starting arm Bree Carrico fires off the first pitch to LSU’s Julia Lassiter; it went for a grounder. For perhaps the final time this season, we’re off.
Pre-Game
The Hokies’ starting lineup is as follows:
- Addison Foster – Center Fielder
- Jordan Lynch – Third Baseman
- Zoe Yaeger – Designated Player
- Kylie Aldridge – Catcher
- Michelle Chatfield – First Baseman
- Nora Abromavage – Left Fielder
- Rachel Castine – Second Baseman
- Gaby Mizelle – Right Fielder
- Annika Rohs – Shortstop
Starting Pitcher: RHP Bree Carrico
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