Authorities have confirmed that the death toll from the tank-rupture incident at a Washington state paper mill has risen to two, with nine people still missing and presumed dead. The Longview fire department announced on Wednesday afternoon that one individual transported to the hospital following the disaster at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co on Tuesday morning has succumbed to their injuries.
Recovery operations commenced at the mill on Wednesday after a delay due to safety concerns regarding the structural integrity of the damaged tank. Officials have stated there is no hope of finding additional survivors, transitioning the operation from rescue to recovery. A team of investigators from the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is expected to arrive on the scene as the federal agency launches an inquiry into the fatal implosion.
The incident began when an industrial tank ruptured, releasing white liquor, a highly corrosive chemical mixture used in the paper industry. Initially, officials confirmed one death and nine injuries, including a firefighter who responded to the scene. Seven workers remain hospitalized. Washington Governor Bob Ferguson described the event as potentially the deadliest industrial tragedy in modern state history.
Matt Amos of the Longview fire department stated that operations would be "slow, methodical and deliberate," with recovered victims undergoing decontamination before transport to the coroner. Crews are searching the area in chemical protective equipment. "The priority is ensuring responder safety while treating every victim with the greatest dignity, care and respect as possible," Amos said.
While the cause remains unknown, authorities in Longview have assured the Columbia River community, a city of about 40,000 people with strong ties to the paper and lumber industries, that there is no threat to public safety. This incident follows another notable chemical tank failure on the West Coast, where thousands of southern California residents were evacuated due to a damaged tank at an aerospace plant.
The sprawling Longview plant, employing approximately 1,000 people, produces materials for tissues, printing paper, cups, plates, and cartons. The facility is situated along the river adjacent to other timber, paper, and chemical businesses. The tank that ruptured held about 600,000 gallons of a liquid composed mainly of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide, known as white liquor, used with heat to break down wood for kraft paper production. Officials reported that the tank still contains some 25,000 gallons of the liquid, which is slowly leaking.
Following the rupture, the liquid spilled into a drainage ditch, according to Brittny Goodsell, a state ecology department spokesperson. Sampling revealed contamination had entered the river on Tuesday, with dead carp found. Officials urged the public to avoid ditches and dikes while water testing is conducted but stated no issues with air quality or drinking water in Longview. The Washington State Department of Ecology and the US Environmental Protection Agency are overseeing operations to assess environmental impacts.
At a community vigil on Tuesday night, dozens gathered to pray, light candles, and embrace loved ones. Crystal Moldenhauer, a Longview resident, said she had friends at the plant who remain unaccounted for. "We're all still waiting for answers," she said. "There's families that have been torn apart, and we don't know why."
Safety complaints were filed against Nippon Dynawave in March and May, but the state's labor and industries department noted both were unrelated to the current situation. One was an anonymous complaint about a valve on a tank, which was not the tank that imploded. Nippon Dynawave, a subsidiary of Japan-based Nippon Paper Group, has been fined $3,400 for three separate health and safety violations since 2021.
Brian Wood of Nippon Dynawave stated during a news conference on Wednesday that the company is focused on the victims and assisting first responders in recovering the missing. "These are our people," he said. He affirmed the company's commitment to cooperate fully with the investigation. According to a paper released by a network of environmental justice organizations, 43 people died from hazardous chemical incidents in the US between January 2021 and mid-October 2023.
