Emergency crews resumed recovery operations Wednesday at a paper mill in Longview, Washington, where a massive chemical tank rupture left nine workers missing and presumed dead in what officials described as one of the deadliest industrial accidents in the United States in recent years.
Authorities said there is no hope of finding additional survivors after the implosion Tuesday at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. facility, which also injured eight other people, including a firefighter. The likely death toll rose to 11 after a second injured person died Wednesday, according to local fire officials and Associated Press reporting.
The rupture involved a tank containing more than 500,000 gallons of “white liquor,” a highly caustic chemical mixture used in paper manufacturing. Officials said the tank was more than half full when one side buckled during a morning shift change, causing the collapse and a large chemical spill across the facility.
Search Operations Shift to Recovery Mission
Recovery operations were temporarily delayed because of fears the damaged structure could collapse further and release additional chemicals. Fire officials later determined the tank was stable enough for crews to continue searching during daylight hours.
“We do not know where all nine are,” Cowlitz County fire chief Scott Goldstein said during a briefing cited by AP.
Authorities said some injured workers suffered burns and inhalation injuries. Emergency teams also warned that hazardous chemicals had entered drainage systems connected to the Columbia River, although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported no immediate effects on drinking water or air quality in Longview.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson said officials were preparing for the possibility that the incident could become the deadliest industrial disaster in modern Washington state history.
Federal Investigation Underway
The cause of the rupture remains unclear. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board announced it was launching a federal investigation into the disaster to determine how the tank failed and whether broader industrial safety measures need strengthening.
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The tank could reportedly hold up to 900,000 gallons of white liquor, a chemical solution made primarily of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide used to break down wood pulp for paper production.
The sprawling facility, located along the Columbia River in southwestern Washington, employs roughly 1,000 workers and manufactures packaging materials, tissue products, cups, cartons, and printing paper.
Community Mourns Missing Workers
Families and residents gathered for vigils Tuesday evening as the Longview community waited for more information about those still unaccounted for. Authorities have not yet publicly released the identities of all victims and missing workers.
One of the first confirmed fatalities was identified by friends as Gilbert Bernal, an electrician at the plant. Friends described him as active in church and community support efforts.
The disaster comes amid renewed scrutiny over industrial chemical storage and plant safety after another recent chemical emergency in Southern California prompted temporary evacuations earlier this week.
Officials said the investigation into the Longview disaster could take months as federal and state agencies examine the structural failure, chemical handling procedures, and emergency response operations.
