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By Open Chronicle with agencies
A massive industrial accident at a pulp and paper facility in Washington State has left at least one person dead, nine others missing, and several more injured after a giant chemical storage tank imploded at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging mill in Longview.
Emergency crews spent Tuesday and Wednesday working through a dangerous recovery operation after the tank, which contained nearly one million gallons of a corrosive substance known as “white liquor,” collapsed at the industrial site. Authorities said the incident caused a major chemical spill and created unstable conditions that continue to threaten rescue and recovery efforts.
Cowlitz Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Goldstein confirmed that officials are treating the operation primarily as a recovery mission rather than an active rescue effort.
At least one dead, nine missing after chemical tank ruptures in Washington state pic.twitter.com/9YNQnepCqb
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“At the moment we are not aware of any rescues that are yet to be made,” Goldstein told reporters during a press conference.
The damaged tank still reportedly contains around 340,000 litres of the caustic liquid, forcing emergency teams to move cautiously. Officials said crews would only operate during daylight hours due to fears the structure could collapse further or leak additional hazardous material.
White liquor, commonly used in the paper manufacturing industry, is a highly corrosive chemical mixture primarily composed of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide. It is used in the kraft pulping process to break down wood into paper products such as packaging materials and shopping bags.
Authorities said nine people suffered injuries ranging from minor to critical. Several victims reportedly suffered chemical burns and inhalation injuries. Among the injured was also a firefighter responding to the disaster.
Investigators have not yet determined what caused the implosion.
Washington State Senator Patty Murray said residents deserve clear answers about how the incident occurred.
“I know there are a lot of questions about how all of this happened,” she said. “This community deserves answers.”
The Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility has operated in Longview since 1953 and employs roughly 1,000 workers, making it one of the region’s major industrial employers.
Goldstein acknowledged the emotional impact of the disaster on the local community, noting that many emergency responders personally know workers at the facility.
“The people who are responders here have friends and relatives who work on site,” he said.
The incident has also renewed scrutiny over industrial safety standards at the facility. Records from Washington State’s Department of Labour and Industries show that safety complaints had previously been filed against the company earlier this year, although officials stated those complaints were unrelated to the imploded tank.
Since 2021, the company has reportedly received multiple workplace safety citations involving employee protection failures, fall hazards, and procedural violations following workplace injuries.
The disaster comes just days after another major chemical emergency in Southern California, where tens of thousands of residents were evacuated due to fears of an explosion involving a damaged chemical tank at an aerospace facility. Authorities there later announced that the immediate risk had been eliminated.
Environmental safety advocates say the latest incidents highlight growing concerns over hazardous industrial infrastructure across the United States.
According to a report released by environmental justice organisations in late 2023, more than 40 people died in hazardous chemical incidents across the United States between January 2021 and October 2023.
For now, officials in Longview remain focused on stabilising the collapsed tank before search teams can safely enter the area to look for the missing workers.