Washington paper mill accident: 11 dead after Longview chemical tank rupture

Officials in Washington state said crews have recovered six of nine missing workers after a chemical tank rupture at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company paper mill in Longview. The death toll stands at 11, with three still missing. The ruptured tank spilled more than 500,000 gallons of a corrosive chemical mixture used in paper manufacturing.

Recovery teams in Washington state located six of nine missing workers after a chemical tank burst at a paper mill, officials said on Thursday. The incident left 11 people dead, including three still unaccounted for. Authorities said there was no chance of finding survivors after the rupture on Tuesday at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company in Longview.

Officials said the damaged tank partly collapsed and released more than 500,000 gallons, or 1.9 million litres, of "white liquor\". The highly corrosive mix is used in paper manufacturing to break down wood. Fire officials said on Wednesday that recovery work was moving slowly due to risks from remaining chemicals.

Chemical tank rupture at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company

The cause of the tank failure remained under investigation, authorities said. The spill occurred in Longview, a city on the Columbia River near Washington’s border with Oregon. Crews continued a careful search on Thursday, while also managing the dangerous conditions around the ruptured tank and the chemical still present.

Officials said the rupture injured eight people, including a firefighter. Authorities said some of the injured suffered burns or inhalation problems. Officials also said on Wednesday that tests showed no contamination in the air or drinking water in and around Longview, which has about 40,000 residents.

Victims named by friends after Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company incident

Authorities had not released the victims’ names. Friends and relatives began confirming identities and setting up online fundraisers for families. Among those believed killed were John Forsberg, described as a parent of two young children, and Jared Ammons, who had two children with another expected.

Gilbert Bernal, an electrician at the plant, was the first confirmed death, according to friend Todd Cornwell. \"He was one of the most genuinely good people that you have ever met. He would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. He was always there willing to help in whatever needed to be done,\" Cornwell said.

CJ Doran, 26, was also among those presumed dead, according to a GoFundMe post verified by the platform. \"He was a husband who was the spiritual leader of their family, the joy of their home, and the family provider,\" the post said. Friends described several victims as devoted family members and steady workers.

Braydon Finkas, another electrician at the plant, was also listed among victims by friends. Rex Czuba said Finkas and longtime partner Kaitlyn Kincaid took in exchange students and others needing help at their Cathlamet home. Czuba said, \"Finkas was always willing to help someone cut hay or to buy a beer for a new face in their small town,\" and added, \"He was a really big part of the town,\" and, \"He really jumped in and became a part of the community so quickly.\"

Longview cleanup after Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company spill

Crews worked to flush water from nearby ditches, then dilute it before pumping it into the Columbia River. Some pollution reached the river, officials said. The US Environmental Protection Agency said the release had no noticeable impact. The tank spill was described by officials as one of the deadliest US workplace accidents in decades.

Longview has long been linked to paper and lumber work. The city was founded in the 1920s at the meeting point of the Cowlitz and Columbia rivers by a Kansas City timber baron. Many local families have worked in mills for generations, and residents told The Associated Press they had ties to the Nippon Dynawave plant.

Nippon Paper Group, the mill’s parent company in Japan, said on Wednesday that it was offering its deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families. As the investigation continued, officials said recovery and cleanup work stayed slow due to chemical hazards, while teams kept searching for the three workers still missing.

With inputs from PTI