Chemical Tank Rupture at Washington Pulp Mill Kills at Least One, Injures Nine

A chemical tank containing white liquor ruptured at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging pulp and paper mill in Longview, Washington, early Tuesday morning. The incident occurred around 7:15 a.m. when an 80,000-gallon tank that was about 60 percent full failed. Authorities initially described the event as an explosion, then an implosion, before settling on a rupture.

Nine people at the facility suffered injuries ranging from critical to minor, including chemical burns, and were transported to area hospitals. One firefighter was also injured but has been treated and released. PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview received nine patients from the incident, including one who was deceased.

Six patients remain in fair condition and two others were transferred. Patients with traumatic injuries are being treated at nearby facilities, while those with burns and chemical exposure are being sent to burn centers including the Legacy Oregon Burn Center in Portland.

"The incident is stable, but is in the recovery phase," Longview Fire Battalion Chief Mike Gorsuch said during a Tuesday press briefing, calling the event "tragic."

“The scene remains in the recovery phase as emergency responders continue operations.”

The number of fatalities remains undetermined, and several personnel are still unaccounted for, Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue Chief Scott Goldstein said. Information on those killed and injured is being withheld pending next-of-kin notifications.

White liquor, a mixture of sodium hydroxide, sodium sulfide and disodium carbonate used in paper-making, was released in the rupture. The cause remains under investigation. Authorities stated there is no immediate threat to the public. Residents have been urged to avoid the area while recovery and investigation continue.

The Nippon Dynawave facility, located on the Washington-Oregon border near the Columbia River, employs nearly 1,000 people and produces material for tissues, printing paper, cups, plates and cartons.