A highly toxic chemical tank exploded at a paper mill in Washington state, killing many people instantly, leaving many missing, and at least 10 people hospitalized. The incident occurred at the Nippon Dynawave packaging plant in Longview, about 80 kilometers from Portland, Oregon. At 7:18 a.m., a massive 80,000-gallon chemical tank, which was 60% full at the time, collapsed, and a huge explosion reverberated throughout the city of Longview.
According to photos and videos released from the scene, half of the huge metal tank collapsed in, and thick white smoke was spreading in all directions. At the scene, a truck was pinned down by a fallen metal pipe, and an unidentified liquid was spraying out of the crack in the pipe.
According to officials, the imploded storage tank contained a chemical mixture known as “white liquor,” which mainly consisted of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide, and contained disodium carbonate. This liquid is specifically used in the papermaking process to dissolve wood fibers to make pulp. It is a highly alkaline substance with extremely strong corrosive properties. High-concentration exposure to this chemical can cause severe chemical burns, and its fumes can also cause devastating damage to the respiratory tract.
Local fire chief Mike Gorsuch described the scene with heartache as a “mass casualty site. ” Five fire trucks, seven ambulances, and an area hazardous materials response team were dispatched to the scene. Approximately 40 firefighters and medical personnel are working to contain the spreading chemicals. Injured people who were still able to walk were first washed and cleaned by firefighters on the spot before they could be put into ambulances.
Of the 10 injured, one was a firefighter who came to the rescue. The injured were taken to PeaceHealth St. John’s Hospital in Longview and PeaceHealth Southwest Hospital in Vancouver, Washington ( this Vancouver is in Washington state, not Vancouver, Canada). The hospital later issued a statement saying that it received a total of 9 people, 1 of whom died, 2 of whom were seriously injured and transferred to other hospitals, and the remaining 6 were in stable condition. The injured firefighters have been treated and have returned home. But these are just the hospital figures. The fire department’s 11 a.m. report directly confirmed “multiple deaths” and that some people were still missing. Cowlitz County Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Goldstein admitted at a press conference that he could not yet release specific numbers of deaths and missing persons.
After the accident, panicked family members of the workers gathered at the factory’s visitor entrance, anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones. Many residents have close ties with the factory where the incident occurred, and many of their relatives and friends work there. Officials stated that the incident currently poses no direct threat to the public but urged residents to stay away from Industrial Way and the surrounding area.
This factory is quite large, employing hundreds of people and producing 280,000 tons of bleached liquid packaging paperboards annually. Many coffee cups, juice boxes, and takeout paper bowls in North American supermarkets originate from here. According to the company’s data, their raw materials can be made into 8 billion disposable containers every year. In 2023, this factory also experienced a fire that burned for several days. Washington Governor Bob Ferguson issued a statement in the afternoon, saying that the National Guard was on standby and personnel from the state’s Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Labor had been deployed to the scene. “I am deeply saddened,” he said. “My prayers are with the families of the victims.”
The cause of the accident is still unclear. When asked by the media, a factory employee said that there was no further information to provide at the time. It is worth noting that just days before the Longview incident, Orange County, California, had also experienced a chemical tank crisis. A storage tank containing more than 6,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate (MDMA) belonging to British company GKN Airlines experienced a temperature malfunction, prompting Governor Gavin Newsom to order the emergency evacuation of 50,000 people, and President Trump to sign a federal emergency declaration. Fortunately, a crack appeared in the storage tank, which released internal pressure, allowing the chemicals to cool down and preventing an explosion.