One dead, nine missing after chemical tank explosion at Washington paper mill

A chemical tank explosion at a paper manufacturing facility in Washington killed one person, injured nine others and left nine people missing on Tuesday, prompting a major emergency response and recovery operation.

According to a BBC report, the incident took place at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging plant in Longview, a city in Cowlitz County located around 45 miles north of Portland, Oregon.

The explosion happened on Tuesday when a large tank containing industrial chemicals ruptured at the facility.

The damaged tank contained “white liquor,” a chemical solution made of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide that is commonly used in the paper pulp manufacturing process, the report said.

According to the report, officials initially believed that the tank contained around 80,000 gallons of the chemical solution. However, authorities later revised the estimate and said the tank may have held nearly 900,000 gallons of white liquor, with approximately 90,000 gallons still remaining inside the unstable structure.

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Rescue and recovery efforts

According to the report, recovery operations would continue today also because the damaged tank remained unstable and dangerous for rescue workers.

Longview Fire Department Battalion Chief Matt Amos said that the injured included eight employees of the plant and one firefighter. Some of the victims suffered serious injuries, including chemical burns. The firefighter was treated and later released from hospital, the report said.

Authorities stressed that despite the explosion and chemical release, there was “no direct threat to the surrounding community.” Officials continued monitoring the site throughout the evening to ensure the damaged tank did not collapse further, the report added.

Speaking during a media briefing, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson expressed condolences to those affected by the tragedy.

Background of the facility

According to the report, Nippon Dynawave Packaging is a subsidiary of Japan’s Nippon Paper Industries, the country’s second-largest paper manufacturer by sales. The company acquired the Longview plant from Seattle-based timber company Weyerhaeuser in 2016 for $225 million.

The facility manufactures tissues, printer paper, cups, plates, cartons and other paper products, and employs around 1,000 workers, the report said.

According to the report, citing the Japanese Consulate in Seattle, no Japanese employees were confirmed injured in the incident.

The Longview plant has faced safety concerns before. The facility was also the site of a major fire in July 2023, when large piles of wood burned for several days, the report said.