Multiple people were killed, others suffered critical injuries, and several workers remained unaccounted for Tuesday after a massive chemical tank rupture at a paper mill in Longview.
Emergency crews responded around 7:15 a.m. to the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility at 3401 Industrial Way following what the Longview Fire Department initially described as a “major chemical explosion” involving an 80,000-gallon tank containing white liquor, a highly corrosive chemical used in the papermaking process.
Officials later clarified that the tank had ruptured. The vessel was about 60% full at the time, authorities said.
An unknown number of people were killed in the incident, officials confirmed during an afternoon update. Fire officials also said some individuals remained unaccounted for as recovery operations continued.
Ten people — including one firefighter and nine plant workers — were transported to hospitals in Longview and Vancouver for treatment, according to officials. Several victims suffered critical chemical burns and other serious injuries.
Patients were taken to PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview and PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver.
Authorities said it was still too early to determine what caused the rupture.
White liquor is a chemical mixture primarily made of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide. It is used in the Kraft papermaking process to break down wood chips into pulp. The substance is considered extremely dangerous and highly corrosive.
Crews from the Longview Fire Department, Cowlitz County fire agencies, law enforcement, hazmat teams, and other emergency responders remained at the scene throughout the day as operations shifted into the recovery phase.
Officials emphasized there was no immediate threat to the surrounding community but urged the public to avoid Industrial Way and nearby areas so emergency crews could continue working safely.
No names or identifying details about the victims had been released Tuesday as authorities worked to notify family members.
Responding agencies said recovery operations and the investigation were ongoing in coordination with facility personnel and partner agencies. Additional updates were expected later Tuesday evening.
In a statement, Bob Ferguson said state Department of Ecology responders had been deployed to assist at the scene.
“I’m deeply saddened to hear that there have been fatalities,” Ferguson said. “My thoughts are with the workers and their families, and with the first responders.”
According to the Washington Department of Ecology, Nippon Dynawave operates a major pulp and paper mill and liquid packaging facility in Longview. The mill employs roughly 550 workers and produces approximately 280,000 tons of packaging paperboard and pulp products annually.
The company’s adjacent liquid packaging operation employs another 450 people.
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