Washington authorities have announced that the nine employees missing in the chemical explosion are unlikely to be found alive.
At least 2 killed, 9 missing in chemical tank explosion in Washington
A chemical explosion at an industrial plant in Washington state has killed at least two people and left several others injured or missing.
Communities in Washington state are waiting to rescue several people missing and presumed dead and mourning two people who were confirmed dead after a chemical tank exploded at a factory.
On the morning of May 26, a tank at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. in Longview, Washington, exploded in what Washington Governor Bob Ferguson said was probably the deadliest industrial disaster in modern state history. One person was initially confirmed dead, and the other person later succumbed to his injuries. Seven other people were injured. According to authorities, as of May 27, nine people are missing.
The search moved from the rescue phase to the presumed recovery phase as crews worked to stabilize the scene and safely search for the nine missing employees at the facility. Officials said at a May 27 press conference that once found, they would be decontaminated and identified by the county coroner.
As the investigation continues, local residents are waiting for news about their loved ones and answers about what happened at the paper mill and liquid packaging plant, where there have been fires in the past and suspected violations on the premises.
“First responders, paramedics and nurses witnessed unspeakable horror,” said Rep. Marie Grusenkamp Perez (D-Washington). “We need to come together to get the answers we need here.”
Here’s what we know:
What happened at the paper mill?
According to the Longview Fire Department, the explosion at the Nippon Dynawave occurred around 7:15 a.m. local time on May 26. A tank containing hundreds of thousands of gallons of chemicals burst, spilling a substance called “white liquor” throughout the plant.
Officials say white liquor is corrosive and is used to make paper products. Cowlitz Fire Rescue Department 2 Chief Scott Goldstein said about 550,000 gallons leaked from the tank.
Responders were unable to immediately access all areas of the facility to search for additional victims because the chemicals and tanks were determined to be unstable, officials said. They planned to resume the search on May 27 after stabilizing the tank with remaining chemicals.
Some of the spill contaminated the Columbia River and nearby ditches and levees, officials said. The Washington Department of Ecology told USA TODAY in a statement that the affected water is being diverted from residential and city water supplies and diverted through the Longview ditch system to dilute it. Officials said there was no airborne transmission.
“At this time, there are no concerns that drinking water supplies are being affected. However, the longer contaminated water remains in the ditch system, the more likely it is to contaminate the underlying aquifer,” the Department of Ecology said.
Who are the victims?
Authorities have not released the identities of the dead, injured, or missing victims. A firefighter was among the injured, who was treated and released on the day of the explosion.
One of the two victims was taken to hospital for his injuries, but later died. Officials said seven of the other injured were facility workers.
All nine missing people are factory employees.
Inspections and complaints within the facility
The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries announced that two ongoing inspections are being conducted for Nippon Dynawave. One, the department said, began in March after it received an anonymous complaint about a valve in an ammonia water purification tank, not the same tank involved in the explosion. Another inspection was launched in early May after complaints about cave-ins caused by faulty drain pipes.
The facility has been inspected three more times by the department over the past five years, citing violations unrelated to chemicals or storage. The violations were related to issues such as fall protection and not wearing face coverings, the Department of Labor and Industry said.
Police also investigated the facility after an employee’s finger was severed, local station KING 5 reported. Nippon Dynawave was cited for moving related equipment before the inspection, but not about the incident itself, the news agency reported.
Last August, a fire broke out on the Nippon Dynawave property, destroying a railroad warehouse, the Longview Fire Department announced at the time. The source of the fire, a Patriot Railway Cowlitz and Columbia Railroad warehouse and locomotive repair shop building, was completely destroyed.
In July 2023, firefighters worked on the property for four days to extinguish the fire after a conveyor belt fire spread to a pile of bark chips and structures, according to Cowlitz 2 Fire and Rescue.
USA TODAY previously reached out to Japan Dynawave for comment.
