The death toll from the catastrophic tank rupture at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility in Longview, Washington, has continued to rise as crews work through hazardous conditions to recover missing workers. Officials now confirm eight deaths, with three additional workers still unaccounted for and presumed dead.
The incident occurred early Tuesday morning when a 900,000‑gallon tank containing white liquor, a caustic chemical used in the paper‑making process, ruptured and caused widespread structural damage across the mill. The blast happened during a shift change, placing more employees in the affected area at the time of the failure.
Recovery teams have since located the remains of six of the nine initially missing workers. Each recovery requires decontamination due to chemical exposure risks, and responders continue to rotate through the site in short intervals because of unstable structures, exposed industrial hazards, and ongoing chemical leakage.
Officials describe the environment as active and hazardous, with the damaged tank still leaking an estimated 25,000 gallons of white liquor. Despite the chemical release, testing indicates no immediate threat to Longview’s drinking water system, though contamination has been confirmed in nearby ditches and portions of the Columbia River.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson has warned that the disaster may become the deadliest industrial tragedy in modern state history. Local leaders and emergency crews continue to emphasize responder safety while working toward full recovery of the remaining victims.
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Sources
- KLCC
- KUOW
- KATU
- KGW
- Firehouse
- CBS News