A hazardous material incident occurred on the morning of 26/5 at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging paper mill in Longview, Washington, US. A tank containing white liquor, a highly alkaline solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide used in wood pulp digestion, burst.
Local officials initially described the event as a "chemical explosion" but later changed the designation. In a joint statement, Nippon Dynawave Packaging and the Longview Fire Department reported that preliminary information indicated the tank burst caused severe injuries and confirmed one fatality.
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Scene of the chemical tank burst in Washington state on 26/5. *Photo: Facebook/Cowlitz County News*
While Nippon Dynawave Packaging and the Longview Fire Department did not specify the exact number of dead or injured, they affirmed there was "no threat" to the community following the incident.
The Seattle Times, citing fire officials, reported that 10 people, including 9 plant employees and one firefighter, sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious. ABC News additionally reported that some individuals were missing.
PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview confirmed admitting 9 victims: one died, 6 are in stable condition, and two others were transferred.
Nippon Dynawave Packaging, a subsidiary of Japan's Nippon Paper Group, produces 8 billion disposable containers annually. The Washington State Department of Ecology reports the plant employs nearly 1,000 people.
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Scene of the chemical tank burst in Washington state on 26/5. *Photo: Facebook/Cowlitz County News*
The incident in Washington state occurred as nearly 16,000 people remained displaced in Orange County, California. This displacement followed an overheating 26,500-liter tank of methyl methacrylate (MMA) at aerospace manufacturer GKN Aerospace, which faced an explosion risk.
Firefighters had been working to cool the chemicals since 22/5. California officials announced on 25/5 that the risk of the chemical tank exploding had been eliminated, though efforts to process the tank were ongoing.
By Pham Giang (According to Reuters, ABC News, AFP)
