A catastrophic chemical explosion at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging paper mill in Longview, Washington, has resulted in at least one fatality and nine missing employees, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
Incident Details
The explosion occurred around 7:15 a.m. local time when a tank containing approximately 48,000 gallons of 'white liquor'—a chemical used in the paper production process—ruptured. The tank was about 60 percent full of its 80,000-gallon capacity at the time of the incident.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene, where they found ten individuals requiring hospitalization. Among the injured were eight mill employees and one firefighter, with some suffering from chemical burns. The extent of their injuries has not been fully disclosed, but all were transported to local medical facilities for treatment.
Recovery Operations
Recovery efforts have been temporarily halted until Wednesday due to the unstable condition of the ruptured tank. Officials stated that the ongoing hazard posed by the compromised tank made it too dangerous for emergency personnel to continue searching for the missing workers.
The Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office is leading the investigation, with support from the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries and the U.S. Chemical Safety Board. Authorities are working to determine the cause of the tank failure and to ensure the site is safe for recovery operations.
The Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility, which produces paperboard for packaging, has been shut down indefinitely. The company expressed condolences and stated it is cooperating fully with investigators.
This incident marks one of the most severe industrial accidents in Washington state in recent years, raising concerns about chemical safety protocols in the paper manufacturing industry.
