After the tank ruptured, releasing hundreds of thousands of gallons of corrosive chemicals, it took several days for emergency responders to safely find all the victims.
Victims identified in Washington chemical explosion, 11 dead
The bodies of all nine workers missing at a paper mill in Washington State where a chemical tank exploded have been found and identified.
The bodies of all nine workers missing at a paper mill in Washington state where a chemical tank exploded on May 26 have been found and identified, bringing the death toll to 11, authorities announced on May 30.
The explosion at the Japan Dynawave Packaging Company in Longview, Washington, occurred on the morning of May 26, when a tank containing white liquor used in paper manufacturing ruptured, releasing hundreds of thousands of gallons of chemicals.
Officials initially announced that one person was dead and nine others were injured, including from chemical burns. One of the injured later died, and nine employees were initially reported missing.
Officials said the situation was unstable and it took several days for response forces to safely locate the remaining workers. This massive effort included moving spilled material away from local water supplies and decontaminating bodies.
Longview Fire Department Chief Brad Hanig said at a May 30 press conference announcing the recovery of the body of the last missing employee: “We hope that today provides the families who have been so impacted by this incident the closure they need to begin the long process of healing.”
The explosion was considered one of the worst industrial disasters in modern nation history. Longview Fire Department officials said many were in the employee break room during a shift change when the explosion occurred.
Who were the victims?
On May 30, the Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office released the names of all 11 victims of the explosion.
- Gilbert Bernal, 52 years old
- Tyler Covington, 29 years old
- Bradley Covington, 27 years old
- Robert “Rob” Wilson, 48 years old
- Dale Miller, 54 years old
- Jared Ammons, 35 years old
- Braydon Fincus, 38 years old
- Clinton “CJ” Dolan, 26 years old
- John Forsberg, 51 years old
- Norman Barlow, 58 years old
- Dillon Miller, age not disclosed
What happened at the Japan Dynawave factory?
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 the white liquor is corrosive and is used to make paper products. Nippon Dynawave employs hundreds of people to produce bleached paperboard, which is used to make cartons and containers for products such as juice and milk. The company and its properties have been the scene of workplace safety violations and fires in the past.
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. By May 28, authorities had confirmed eight deaths and said three workers were still in restricted areas of the factory due to safety concerns.
Some of the spilled material contaminated the Columbia River and nearby ditches and levees, but did not affect drinking water in the area, officials said. There was also no air pollution.
