South Charleston shelter-in-place lifted after chemical incident at Solenis plant

Authorities lifted a shelter-in-place order Wednesday afternoon for part of South Charleston, West Virginia, after a chemical incident at the Solenis plant. No injuries were reported, and all employees were accounted for, according to local news reports citing emergency officials.

WSAZ reported that Metro 911 said the order was lifted at 2:51 p.m. The affected area was from F Street to C Street and First Avenue to Seventh Avenue, and included South Charleston Middle School. The order was issued shortly after 2 p.m. as a precaution.

The Charleston Gazette-Mail reported that Metro 911 received the call around 1:50 p.m. The shelter-in-place lasted about an hour. South Charleston Fire Chief Virgil White told the newspaper a large cloud of chlorine gas prompted the order; the cause was initially unclear.

In a later update, WSAZ reported that Solenis plant manager Ken Smith said grease came into contact with pool-treatment tablets, causing decomposition and releasing a gaseous mixture. The facility was reported safe, with firefighters remaining inside to check the building and crews ventilating it. WCHS also reported that the chemical had been contained and no injuries had been reported.

The incident was at the Solenis facility in South Charleston’s industrial park. The order has been lifted; emergency crews remained at the site after the incident to continue safety checks and ventilation.