Nine people are missing and presumed dead following a chemical tank rupture at a Washinton paper mill.
The incident, which is expected to become one of the deadliest workplace accidents in US history, happened on Tuesday, May 26.
Massive white liquor spill under investigation
The Associated Press is reporting that crews are still searching for survivors at the scene at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. in Longview where more than 500,000 gallons of “white liquor” – a chemical used in paper manufacturing – was spilled.
The likely death toll rose to 11 after another injured person died on Wednesday, authorities confirmed.
Eight other people were injured in the incident, including a firefighter who was treated and later released from hospital.
After initially delaying recovery operations due to fears the damaged tank could collapse further, emergency crews later determined that the structure remained stable enough to resume the search. Officials said the tank contained less liquid than originally feared.
The tank, which had a total capacity of around 900,000 gallons, or 3.4 million litres, was reportedly more than half full when it failed.
White liquor is primarily composed of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide.
It is used in kraft paper production to break down wood fibres into pulp for packaging materials, shopping bags, cartons, tissues, cups, and printing paper.
Environmental concerns monitored
Officials stated that air quality and drinking water safety in Longview, a city of approximately 40,000 residents with longstanding ties to the timber and paper industries, had not been affected.
However, some contamination did enter the Columbia River, one of North America’s largest waterways. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said no environmental impacts had yet been observed within the river itself, although residents were advised to avoid nearby ditches and dikes.
Shift change disaster shocks local community
The rupture occurred during shift change on Tuesday morning when the massive circular tank buckled along one side. Authorities have not yet identified the cause of the failure.
Nippon Dynawave Packaging employs around 1,000 people at its Longview operation, which sits alongside other timber, paper and chemical facilities near the Columbia River.
Authorities have not formally released the names of those dead or missing, although local families and friends have begun identifying victims publicly.
Federal investigation launched
Nippon Paper Group issued a statement on Wednesday expressing its “deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families.”
Authorities said several injured workers suffered burns and inhalation injuries during the rupture.
Brittny Goodsell, a spokesperson for the Washington State Department of Ecology, confirmed that the spilled chemicals entered a drainage ditch after the tank failed.
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board announced on Wednesday that it had launched a formal investigation into the disaster.
Chairperson Steve Owens said investigators would work to “determine how it happened and what can be done to prevent something like this from happening again.”
