Deadly Washington Mill Tank Implosion Leaves 10 Injured, Others Dead Or Missing In ‘Mass Casualty Scene’

Washington: A powerful chemical tank implosion at a pulp and paper mill in southwestern Washington state on Tuesday morning, leaving at least 10 people injured and an undisclosed number killed or remain unaccounted for after the explosion. The local officials confirmed the deadly incident, saying that the incident occurred at 7.15 am at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. facility in Longview. 

Later, in a joint statement issued after over 4 hours, the company and local first response agencies confirmed there had been fatalities, though the exact number has not been released.

Cowlitz Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Goldstein stated that the death toll remained unclear during a news conference on Tuesday. “We have information on that, but we’re not releasing that information,” he said when asked how many workers were missing.

Mass Casualty Feared

Longview Fire Department Battalion Chief Mike Gorsuch called the situation as a “mass casualty scene”. As per reports, around 40 firefighters and paramedics attended, along with a regional hazardous materials team. The rescue teams decontaminated patients at the site before transporting them to hospitals in Longview and Vancouver.

The officials confirmed that among those injured was a responding firefighter. The officials said that the victims suffered a range of injuries, including burns and inhalation issues, with conditions varying from minor to critical. They also stressed that there was no immediate threat to the public.

The implosion has shaken Longview, a city of roughly 38,000 residents with deep ties to the paper and lumber industries since it was founded by a Kansas City timber baron in the 1920s. The mill sits in an industrial zone shared with other timber, paper and chemical businesses and remains central to the community’s identity.

Chief Goldstein noted, “The people who are responders here have friends and relatives that work on site…..It is something that is impactful, and we have support networks to support the workers as well as the emergency responders.”

Implosion Cause Remains Unknown

According to Goldstein, the 80,000-gallon tank was about 60% full when it imploded. It held white liquor, a corrosive mixture of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide used to break down wood in the production of kraft paper, a durable material found in packaging, shopping bags and other products. Following the rupture, the chemical spilled into a drainage ditch, and the state Ecology Department dispatched a team to assess the environmental impact, spokesperson Brittny Goodsell said.

Further, the rescue chief asserted that it was too early to establish the cause of the implosion. “We’re dealing with life safety concerns and incident stabilization at this point,” he explained. As per information, the recovery operations were continuing on Tuesday, and the identities of none of the victims were released. 

The families and relatives of the victims waited outside the company’s visitor entrance, praying for their well-being. The plant, which employs around 1000 people, produces material for tissues, printing paper, cups, plates, cartons and other goods.

US Senator Patty Murray of Washington termed the implosion as an “absolute tragedy” in a written statement. “My heart is with everyone who lost a loved one today — as well as the injured workers,” she said.

Chemical Incidents

The deadly incident in Longview comes as thousands of Southern California residents remained evacuated on Tuesday due to a damaged chemical tank at an aerospace plant, which was a separate incident. A paper released in late 2023 by a network of environmental justice organisations reported that just over 40 people died between January 2021 and mid-October 2023 as a result of hazardous chemical incidents across the country.

Meanwhile, the cops and recovery crews remain at the Nippon Dynawave site, with the locals bracing for further updates as families await word on those still missing.