VIDEO: One person is confirmed dead, nine people are missing, and nine more are injured after a vat containing hundreds of thousands of gallons of dangerous chemicals failed at the Nippon Dynawave packaging plant in Longview on Tuesday morning. At approximately 7:18 a.m. Tuesday, the Longview Fire Department (LFD) responded to a hazardous material incident at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company.
According to fire officials, a tank containing a highly acidic chemical called white liquor ruptured. Images from the aftermath show flipped cars and a crushed vat. LFD Battalion Chief Mike Gorsuch described the scene as a “mass casualty scene,” according to The Associated Press. As of 5:30 p.m., one person was pronounced dead. At least ten people were taken to nearby hospitals, including eight employees and one firefighter, LFD said.
Nine employees remained unaccounted for, according to Longview Fire. Officials state that crews are on a recovery mission for those nine employees, rather than a rescue. “There is no belief that rescues still need to be made,” said Chief Scott Goldstein of Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue. Officials confirmed there is no immediate threat to the public, but they asked everyone to stay clear of the area for the time being.
“Recovery efforts remain complex due to ongoing safety concerns at the site. While originally believed to contain approximately 80,000 gallons, officials now report the tank held approximately 900,000 gallons of white liquor. Longview Fire and Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue estimate roughly 90,000 gallons of material may remain inside the damaged tank,” Longview Fire posted to social media.
KIRO-TV CBS 7 Seattle
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