2 dead, 9 workers “unrecovered” after Washington chemical tank implosion

At least two people were killed and nine workers are “unrecovered” following the implosion of a chemical tank at a pulp and paper mill in southern Washington state on Tuesday, according to a news release shared by authorities on Wednesday afternoon. 

The tank ruptured at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. facility in Longview, a city located along the southern Washington border with Oregon, on Tuesday. The Longview Fire Department said then that eight employees and one firefighter were injured, and that one person was killed. They did not say if the deceased was a worker or firefighter. 

One of the eight injured employees died from their injuries, according to the news release. No new injuries were reported. 

On Wednesday, the Washington Department of Ecology said that nine individuals who were previously described as missing “remain unrecovered” as of Wednesday morning. The department did not say if the unrecovered individuals were presumed dead, but said that “recovery efforts” would begin on Wednesday.  

The department said that all individuals “will undergo decontamination before being transported” to the Cowlitz County coroner’s office “for identification and family notification.” A list of victims will be provided when the individuals are recovered and their families notified, the department said.

A spokesperson for PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview confirmed to CBS News that the hospital received nine patients from the incident, one of whom was deceased. Four others have been transferred to the Legacy Oregon Burn Center in Portland, Oregon, PeaceHealth said. Legacy Health confirmed to CBS News in a statement it was treating patients from the incident, but it was not clear if there were any others beyond the four who had been transferred from the PeaceHealth facility. 

Authorities said some victims had suffered burns or inhalation injuries, and that the severity of the injuries ranged from minor to critical.

Authorities said there was no immediate threat to the public, but the tank’s unstable condition is “creating hazardous conditions for emergency personnel.”

The Longview Fire Department said a tank containing white liquor had ruptured. White liquor is a chemical commonly used in paper and pulp processing, which consists of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide.

Concerns about the structural integrity of the tank delayed recovery efforts, the department said. Cowlitz Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Goldstein previously said the 80,000-gallon tank that imploded was about 60% full, but authorities later reported the tank held approximately 900,000 gallons of white liquor. Local authorities now estimate roughly 90,000 gallons of material may remain inside the damaged tank. An inspection “revealed the remaining product is a significantly smaller volume, allowing emergency responders to develop a plan to move forward to remove it,” the department said. 

Officials have still not determined the cause of the implosion. 

“We’re dealing with life safety concerns and incident stabilization at this point,” Goldstein said Tuesday.

The Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. facility is a pulp and paper mill and liquid packaging plant that makes material for tissues, printing paper, cups, plates, cartons and other goods. It employs about 1,000 people, according to the Washington State Department of Ecology.

About 40 firefighters and paramedics had responded, along with a regional hazmat team, Gorsuch said. The incident was reported at 7:19 a.m. local time. Environmental monitoring and mitigation efforts continue, the department said, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is assisting state authorities. The department said that as of Wednesday, there are “no negative health impacts to air quality or the City of Longview’s drinking water system,” but noted that the public should avoid ditches and dikes in the city while water testing is conducted. 

Nippon Dynawave did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Meanwhile, thousands of Southern California residents remained evacuated on Tuesday due to a damaged chemical tank at an aerospace plant.