A massive industrial collapse at a Washington state paper mill left at least one person dead and nine others unaccounted for on Tuesday after a chemical tank carrying corrosive “white liquor” ruptured and gave way, authorities said.
The deadly incident unfolded at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. mill in Longview, where emergency crews spent hours searching through wreckage before officials acknowledged the operation had shifted from rescue to recovery.
“At the moment we are not aware of any rescues that are yet to be made,” Cowlitz Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Goldstein said during a news conference.
The collapse injured nine people, including a firefighter, with victims suffering everything from minor injuries to severe burns and inhalation-related complications. Officials said some victims remained in critical condition Tuesday evening.
The paper mill implosion-style collapse was triggered after a massive storage tank containing “white liquor” burst at the facility. The chemical mixture, commonly used in paper manufacturing, is highly corrosive and dangerous when released.
Authorities initially believed the damaged tank held about 80,000 gallons of the substance, but later revised the estimate dramatically upward to roughly 900,000 gallons. Officials said approximately 90,000 gallons may still remain trapped inside the unstable structure, creating major challenges for crews trying to safely recover the missing workers.
Investigators have not yet determined what caused the tank failure, but they have revealed the name of the first victim of the tragedy. Gilbert Bernal, a loving father, passed away amidst the paper mill implosion.
Federal, state, and local agencies were all involved in the response as crews worked to stabilize the area and monitor for additional hazards. Officials stressed that, despite the severity of the collapse, there was no immediate threat to nearby residents.
Democratic Sen. Patty Murray addressed the shaken community during Tuesday’s briefing and promised answers would be pursued.
“I know there’s a lot of questions about how all of this happened and I want to assure you that we will all continue to pressure to get answers to those questions,” Murray said. “This community deserves that.”
The disaster comes just days after another major chemical emergency rattled the West Coast.
In Southern California, roughly 50,000 residents had faced evacuation orders after a hazardous materials scare at a GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems facility in Orange County. Officials said Tuesday they had lifted the final evacuation order affecting residents in Garden Grove after determining the immediate danger had passed.
That incident involved a damaged chemical tank containing methyl methacrylate, or MMA, a highly flammable industrial substance that officials feared could explode after overheating. Authorities later said the risk of a fire, explosion or major leak had subsided.
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