Death toll rises to 11 in Washington tank explosion as all nine missing recovered

Aftermath of a chemical tank rupture at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging pulp and paper mill in Longview on 26 May. Photograph: David Ryder/Reuters View image in fullscreen Aftermath of a chemical tank rupture at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging pulp and paper mill in Longview on 26 May. Photograph: David Ryder/Reuters Death toll rises to 11 in Washington tank explosion as all nine missing recovered Two had been confirmed dead after tank containing ‘white liquor’ used in making paper pulp imploded last week The death toll from a chemical tank rupture in the US state of Washington climbed to 11 as crews recovered the bodies of all nine missing people, authorities said on Saturday. Two fatalities had been confirmed after the tank containing “white liquor” – a chemical solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide used in making paper pulp – imploded at a Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility on Tuesday. The search for the missing carried on through the week as recovery crews worked through debris in indoor areas and flew drones over the perimeter of the site, said the Cowlitz 2 fire and rescue department’s deputy chief, Kurt Stitch. The ruptured tank contained about 900,000 gallons (3.4m liters) of white liquor, and tests confirmed that contamination entered the nearby Columbia River, officials have said. They also said no “negative health impacts” had been detected on air quality or the city of Longview’s drinking water. Nippon Paper Industries, Japan’s second-biggest paper manufacturer by sales, acquired the Longview plant from Seattle-based timber company Weyerhaeuser for $225m and established the wholly owned subsidiary Nippon Dynawave Packaging in 2016. Explore more on these topics Washington state West Coast news Share Reuse this content