Recovery crews continue searching a damaged Washington paper mill where three workers remain missing and are presumed dead.
LONGVIEW, Wash. — Eight people have been confirmed dead after a chemical tank imploded at a paper mill in southwestern Washington, authorities said Thursday, as recovery teams continued working through dangerous conditions at the site where three additional workers remain missing and are presumed dead.
The disaster unfolded Tuesday morning at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. facility in Longview, a Columbia River city with deep ties to the timber and paper industries. Officials said the incident has become one of the deadliest industrial workplace accidents in the United States in recent years and could rank among the worst industrial disasters in modern Washington state history. Federal investigators, environmental agencies and state officials are examining what caused the tank failure while crews focus on recovering victims and securing the damaged area.
Emergency crews were dispatched shortly after 7 a.m. Tuesday when a massive tank containing white liquor, a highly caustic chemical mixture used in paper production, ruptured inside the mill. The collapse occurred during a shift change, a period when workers were moving through gathering areas and preparing for assignments. Initial reports confirmed fatalities, injuries and multiple missing workers, but unstable structures and chemical contamination slowed rescue operations. Authorities later shifted from rescue to recovery efforts after concluding that additional survivors were unlikely. Longview Fire Department Battalion Chief Matt Amos said several victims were believed to have been in a common work area near the damaged tank when the implosion occurred. The first confirmed death involved a worker who was transported to a hospital after the blast but later died from injuries.
Officials said recovery teams located six additional victims on Thursday, bringing the confirmed death toll to eight. Three workers remained unaccounted for and were presumed dead. Eight other people, including a firefighter who responded to the emergency, suffered injuries ranging from chemical exposure to burns. The damaged tank contained hundreds of thousands of gallons of white liquor, a mixture commonly used in the kraft paper manufacturing process. Authorities said significant quantities of the chemical remained in or around the structure after the rupture, creating hazards for responders. Fire Chief Brad Hannig said teams have been operating cautiously because portions of the tank and nearby buildings remain structurally unstable. Every recovered victim undergoes decontamination procedures before transport to the Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office. Officials have withheld formal identification of many victims pending family notifications, although relatives and friends have publicly identified some of those believed to have been killed.
The paper mill sits in an industrial corridor along the Columbia River and employs hundreds of workers involved in packaging and pulp production. White liquor, the chemical involved in the incident, is primarily composed of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide and is used to break down wood fibers during manufacturing. Exposure can cause severe burns and respiratory injuries. Environmental monitoring began almost immediately after the rupture amid concerns about potential contamination. State and federal agencies have sampled air and water near the facility while monitoring drainage systems connected to the river. Officials reported no dangerous air-quality readings and said testing had not detected harmful levels of hydrogen sulfide or other anticipated contaminants in surrounding communities. Investigators are also reviewing the facility’s operating history, maintenance records and safety procedures. Previous workplace safety complaints had been filed at the plant, though authorities have said those reports were not connected to the tank that failed.
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board has launched a formal investigation into the cause of the implosion. Investigators are expected to examine engineering records, operating conditions and witness accounts from employees who were working at the facility when the rupture occurred. Washington state’s Department of Labor and Industries has opened its own workplace safety investigation, while the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Ecology continue environmental oversight. Gov. Bob Ferguson activated National Guard resources to assist with air monitoring, decontamination and recovery operations. Officials have not announced a timeline for completing the investigations, and no determination has been made about whether equipment failure, operational error or another factor triggered the collapse. Recovery crews continue working with structural engineers to identify areas that can be safely entered. Additional updates are expected as victim recovery progresses and evidence collection expands in the coming days.
The tragedy has shaken Longview, a city where many families have connections to the timber, paper and shipping industries. Community members gathered at vigils in the days following the implosion, lighting candles and sharing memories of workers who had not returned home. Family members described several victims as devoted parents, spouses and grandparents. Geovana Bernal, whose father Gilbert Bernal was among those identified by relatives, said he devoted himself to supporting his family and looked forward to celebrating his wedding anniversary. Company representatives expressed condolences and pledged cooperation with investigators. “These are our people,” a company official said during a public briefing. As crews continue moving through contaminated sections of the facility, officials say the work remains slow and deliberate because protecting responders is essential to completing the recovery effort safely and respectfully.
Authorities said Friday that recovery operations remain active at the Longview facility as teams continue searching for the three missing workers. Investigators are expected to remain on site for several days while agencies collect evidence and assess the full cause and impact of the industrial disaster.