A catastrophic failure of a storage tank at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. in Longview, Washington has left the town devastated. The tank, which held more than 500,000 gallons of a highly corrosive chemical known as white‑liquor, ruptured on Tuesday, sending a toxic plume into the air and releasing the chemical into surrounding ditches and the Columbia River.
The White Liquor flash‑fire and structural collapse killed eleven workers, including nine who are still missing, while nearly a dozen others were injured. The deaths included Gilbert Bennett, a longtime electrician at the plant and beloved grandfather, and CJ Doran, a devoted husband whose family’s future has been shattered. Eight people, including a firefighter, suffered burns or inhalation injuries.
Local emergency crews, police and a federal task force are painstakingly and deliberately combing the area for survivors, a process hindered by the lingering chemical threat. Police confirmed that there is little hope for finding living victims, and authorities have not yet identified the specific cause of the tank failure.
Nippon Paper Group, the parent company of Nippon Dynawave, issued an official statement offering “deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families.” The community, connected to paper mills for generations, is grappling with grief and uncertainty.
Fortunately, the spill did not contaminate Longview’s drinking water, and the Environmental Protection Agency reports that the Columbia River has shown no noticeable effect from the chemicals that have reached it. Authorities are flushing and diluting ditch water before pumping the remaining contaminated water into the river.
The incident has added to a growing list of West Coast chemical emergencies and raised questions about the safety of massive industrial tanks. Residents are left to rebuild, while officials investigate the disaster and plan new safety measures for the industry.
Contact: Johnson from Seattle. AP staff Martha Bellisle (Seattle), Kathy McCormack (Concord, New Hampshire), John Seewer (Toledo, Ohio).}
The White Liquor flash‑fire and structural collapse killed eleven workers, including nine who are still missing, while nearly a dozen others were injured. The deaths included Gilbert Bennett, a longtime electrician at the plant and beloved grandfather, and CJ Doran, a devoted husband whose family’s future has been shattered. Eight people, including a firefighter, suffered burns or inhalation injuries.
Local emergency crews, police and a federal task force are painstakingly and deliberately combing the area for survivors, a process hindered by the lingering chemical threat. Police confirmed that there is little hope for finding living victims, and authorities have not yet identified the specific cause of the tank failure.
Nippon Paper Group, the parent company of Nippon Dynawave, issued an official statement offering “deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families.” The community, connected to paper mills for generations, is grappling with grief and uncertainty.
Fortunately, the spill did not contaminate Longview’s drinking water, and the Environmental Protection Agency reports that the Columbia River has shown no noticeable effect from the chemicals that have reached it. Authorities are flushing and diluting ditch water before pumping the remaining contaminated water into the river.
The incident has added to a growing list of West Coast chemical emergencies and raised questions about the safety of massive industrial tanks. Residents are left to rebuild, while officials investigate the disaster and plan new safety measures for the industry.
Contact: Johnson from Seattle. AP staff Martha Bellisle (Seattle), Kathy McCormack (Concord, New Hampshire), John Seewer (Toledo, Ohio).}
