Death Toll Rises to 8 in Chemical Vat Implosion at Washington Paper Mill as Recovery Efforts Continue

Officials in Longview, Washington, said Thursday that six of the nine missing workers from the Nippon Dynawave paper mill chemical vat implosion have been recovered and confirmed dead, while three others remain missing and are presumed dead. The recovery effort follows a catastrophic incident at the mill on Industrial Way that occurred just after 7:15 a.m. on Tuesday, May 26, when a 900,000-gallon tank holding white liquor, a highly corrosive industrial chemical, imploded during a shift change.

Authorities said the six recovered workers were found near the employee breakroom area. The location has raised concern that the victims may have been in the building as workers were changing shifts when the blast-like implosion happened. In total, eight people are now confirmed dead from the disaster: six recovered victims, one person who died at the scene, and another who died after being taken to a hospital.

Eight others were injured in the incident, including one firefighter. Several of the injured were transported to area hospitals, and some are being treated at the Oregon Burn Center. Officials said recovered victims will be decontaminated before being taken to the Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office for identification and family notification.

Recovery work had been delayed because of safety concerns involving the damaged tank and the possibility of further instability. Officials initially estimated about 90,000 gallons of chemical product remained in the vat, but an inspection later found that the amount had dropped to around 25,000 gallons and that the tank was in a stable position. That development allowed emergency crews to move ahead with planning to remove the remaining material.

Washington National Guard soldiers and airmen from the 10th Homeland Response Force joined the operation to provide decontamination support for search and recovery teams. Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the implosion and whether there is any continuing risk at the site. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board said it will launch its own investigation into the incident.

Environmental officials said some of the chemical entered the Columbia River. The Washington State Department of Ecology and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are monitoring air and water quality and assessing the broader environmental impact. County crews have also been flushing contaminated water, using water from the Cowlitz River and fire hydrants to push the chemical away from residential areas and the city’s water supply before safely discharging it into the Columbia River.

Officials said there is no immediate danger to the surrounding community, but they continue to advise residents to stay away from the area, including streets between Washington Way and Prudential Boulevard. People are also being asked to avoid ditches and dikes in Longview while water testing continues. Authorities said there are no known negative impacts to air quality or the city’s drinking water system at this time.