Disaster at Washington paper mill: two dead and nine missing after explosion

A chemical tank explosion at a paper plant in Washington left at least two dead and nine missing. The event took place at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. facility in Longview, a city located on the southern border of the states of Washington and Oregon.

The explosion caused chemical burns, inhalation injuries and trauma to multiple workers. One firefighter was even injured during emergency efforts. So far, authorities have assured that there is no immediate threat to the population. However, they recommended avoiding areas near the spill while environmental assessments continue.

As reported by the Longview Fire Department, no new injuries or new victims were reported, although the bodies of those missing have not yet been recovered: "As individuals are recovered they will undergo decontamination before being transported to the Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office for identification and family notification."

"The coroner’s office will release a list of names and provide a contact when all individuals have been recovered and family notifications are complete," the department added in a statement.

They further specified that the accident would have occurred following the rupture of a tank containing white liquor, a chemical commonly used in the processing of paper and cellulose, which is composed of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide.

Jeff Wilson, a state senator from Washington, stated after the explosion. "It is an enormous tragedy, a worst-case scenario. Everybody is going to have a whole bunch of questions, as they should. Every one of those questions deserves to be answered. It’s going to take a little time," the legislator expressed in dialogue with OPB's Think Out Loud program.

According to data from the Washington state Department of Ecology, the Nippon Dynawave Packaging plant is a major employer in Longview and has nearly 1,000 workers.