One dead, 9 missing as Washington chemical implosion proves worse than previously thought

A chemical vat containing about 900,000 gallons of toxic “white liquor” exploded at a paper mill in Longview around 7 a.m. Tuesday. One person was confirmed dead and eight workers plus one firefighter were taken to the hospital with severe burns. Nine employees remained unaccounted for. Officials said the vat’s contents were initially reported as 80,000 gallons but later confirmed to be more than ten times that amount, with about 90,000 gallons still inside an unstable tank. Recovery efforts were paused overnight due to safety concerns while the site continued to be monitored. Officials reported no immediate threat to the public, and fire and hazmat teams responded to mitigate the involved product and containers.

"Officials can also confirm there are 9 employees who remain unaccounted for. The vat - on a paper mill operated by Nippon Dynawave Packaging - contained "white liquor," a chemical combination of sodium hydroxide, sodium sulfide, and disodium carbonate. Officials initially reported the vat held 80,000 gallons of the deadly chemical, but officials later confirmed it actually held more than ten times that amount. Around 90,000 gallons remain inside the tank, which remains unstable - hindering search and rescue operations for the missing workers, officials said in a Tuesday evening press conference."

"Around 90,000 gallons remain inside the tank, which remains unstable - hindering search and rescue operations for the missing workers, officials said in a Tuesday evening press conference. "The site will continue to be monitored overnight, but recovery efforts will not resume until tomorrow due to ongoing safety concerns," city officials said. There is no immediate threat to the public, officials said. Nippon Dynawave Packaging Facility is a paper mill with 550 employees that makes "around 280,000 tons of bleached liquid packaging paperboard, and wetlap and slush pulp" each year, according to the Washington State Department of Ecology."

"The implosion prompted a response from five fire engines, seven ambulances and the hazmat team. Residents were previously told to stay away from the site of the implosion. A fire crew and hazmat team are on site at the mill "to mitigate the product and container involved." The company says its products "are converted into 8 billion single-serve containers per year.""

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