Deaths reported after tank implodes at Washington pulp and paper mill
LONGVIEW, Wash. (AP) — At least 10 people were injured and an undisclosed number were killed or missing when a chemical tank exploded at a pulp and paper mill in southwestern Washington state on Tuesday, authorities said.
Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. and local first responder agencies confirmed the deaths in a joint statement.
Cowlitz Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Goldstein later said at a news conference that it was unclear how many workers were killed. When asked how many people were missing, he replied: “We have information about it, but we do not disclose this information.”
Among the injured was a firefighter who responded. Some victims suffered burns or respiratory injuries, and the severity of injuries ranged from mild to critical, authorities said. They said there was no immediate threat to the public.
In the statement, issued more than four hours after the tank exploded at 7.15 a.m., it was stated that the crew was continuing their rescue efforts and that the identities of the victims would not be disclosed until their relatives were notified.
Some people waited at the company’s visitor entrance on Tuesday to get information about their relatives working at the facility. They declined to comment to an Associated Press reporter.
Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. The plant is a pulp and paper mill and liquid packaging facility along the Columbia River. It produces materials for tissues, printing papers, cups, plates, cartons and other products. It employs about 1,000 people, according to the Washington State Department of Ecology.
The 80,000-gallon (303,000-liter) tank that exploded was about 60% full, Goldstein said. It contained a chemical brew known as “white liquor,” a corrosive substance composed primarily of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide and used to break down wood to make kraft paper, a durable paper used in packaging, shopping bags and other products.
Goldstein said it was too early to determine the cause of the explosion.
“At this point we are dealing with life safety concerns and stabilization of events,” he said.
Mike Gorsuch, battalion chief of the fire department in Longview, Washington, called it a “mass death scene.” He said first responders disinfected patients and took them to hospitals in Longview and Vancouver, Washington.
About 40 firefighters and paramedics responded, along with a regional hazmat team, Gorsuch said.
Brittny Goodsell, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Ecology, said white liquor spilled into the drainage ditch after the tank exploded. Goodsell said the department sent a team to assess the impacts.
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