Chemical Explosion in Washington State Results in Casualties
A serious chemical incident has occurred in Longview, Washington, leading to one confirmed death and nine individuals reported missing. Early Tuesday morning, a container holding about 900,000 gallons of hazardous chemicals at a local paper mill exploded, prompting injuries that sent eight employees and one firefighter to the hospital, some with severe burns.
According to updates from the City of Longview, authorities have confirmed that nine employees are still unaccounted for. The tank involved in the explosion, part of the Nippon Dynawave Packaging operation, contained a mixture termed “white liquor,” which includes sodium hydroxide, sodium sulfide, and disodium carbonate.
Interestingly, earlier reports inaccurately stated that the tank had only 80,000 gallons of the dangerous substance. It was later clarified that the actual volume was more than ten times that. Currently, there remains around 90,000 gallons in the unstable tank, complicating search and rescue operations for the missing individuals.
“While monitoring will continue overnight, recovery efforts are postponed until it’s deemed safe,” one city official addressed at a press conference.
There is currently no direct threat to public safety. The Nippon Dynawave facility employs roughly 550 individuals and is known for producing about 280,000 tons of liquid packaging paperboard annually, equating to approximately 8 billion single-serve containers.
Emergency services, including five fire engines and seven ambulances, responded to the incident. Local residents were advised to steer clear of the site during the chaos.
In a related note, it’s worth mentioning that this isn’t the first incident at this mill; a significant fire occurred there in 2023. Furthermore, the situation mirrors a current chemical crisis in Orange County, which has prompted evacuation orders for thousands of residents after a chemical tank overheated uncontrollably.
When approached for additional details, an employee at the Nippon Dynawave facility stated they had “no information” to share at the moment.
