A massive chemical tank imploded at a pulp and paper mill in Longview, Washington, killing at least one worker and leaving nine people unaccounted for, authorities said. Nine others were injured in the failure at Nippon Dynawave Packaging, including people who suffered burns or inhalation injuries.
The incident occurred Tuesday morning at the industrial facility along the Columbia River. Officials said the tank had held about 900,000 gallons of a caustic mixture known in paper production as white liquor. After the collapse, roughly 90,000 gallons remained inside the damaged structure, creating a continuing risk of leakage and further collapse.
Cowlitz Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Goldstein said the operation had become a recovery effort by Tuesday evening, with officials not aware of further rescues that could be made. Responders planned to resume work in daylight on Wednesday after determining how to stabilize the tank and address the remaining chemical. The uncertain condition of the structure prevented crews from working through the night.
Injuries ranged from minor to critical. A firefighter who responded to the emergency was among those hurt. Authorities said the corrosive material could cause burns and inhalation injuries, and they restricted the search to daylight because of the hazardous conditions. Officials nevertheless said the incident did not pose a threat to the broader public.
The tank's liquid, primarily sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide, is used with heat to break down wood during the manufacture of kraft paper. State Ecology Department personnel were sent to assess environmental effects after some of the material entered a drainage ditch. The cause of the implosion remained unknown.
The facility employs about 1,000 people and has operated since 1953, producing materials used in tissues, printing paper, food-service products and cartons. Its long presence in Longview, a city closely tied to timber and paper manufacturing, made the disaster especially immediate for responders and residents with relatives or friends at the mill.
Families sought information at the site and at a union hall serving as an assistance center, while community members gathered for an evening vigil. Public officials said the unanswered questions about the tank failure would require detailed investigation and sustained public and regulatory scrutiny.
The initial response therefore had two urgent priorities: managing a highly corrosive substance inside an unstable structure and accounting for the missing workers. Recovery teams faced the task of making the tank safe enough to search while officials began assessing injuries, environmental impacts and the circumstances that caused such a large industrial vessel to collapse.
