LONGVIEW, Wash. — All eleven victims killed in the industrial disaster in Longview, Washington, have now been recovered and officially identified. Recovering the victims was a days-long process, slowed by the dangerous chemical that remained at the plant.
Emergency responders said Saturday they were still working on the cleanup and investigation. They hoped to provide some level of closure for the eleven families who lost loved ones in the tragedy.
“This is a horrific tragedy that has profoundly impacted our community,” said Dana Tucker, the Cowlitz County Coroner, speaking publicly about the incident for the first time.
On Tuesday, a chemical vat at the Nippon Dynawave packaging plant imploded, spilling hundreds of thousands of gallons of a caustic chemical called while liquor, killing 11 people and injuring several others.
Tucker identified each of the 11 workers who were killed and spoke on the near-unprecedented scale of the disaster.
“Our office immediately began preparing for what we knew would be one of the most significant tragedies in our community since the eruption of Mount Saint Helens,” she said.
The family of Norm Barlow, whose loved ones said was the final victim to be recovered, stood and listened from outside a metal fence. His daughter, Brooke Iverson, described the uncertainty surrounding Barlow’s recovery as brutal.
“It’s been difficult,” Iverson said. “I have four kids to go home to every day, and try to explain that they haven’t found his body yet.”
His partner, Patricia Kraff, said Barlow worked at the plant for less than three months and repeatedly expressed safety concerns. She wants to see accountability.
“It’s about money to me,” Kraff said. “It’s all about money and greed and not safety. And now all these people’s lives are destroyed, and you can’t bring them back.”
KIRO 7 spotted heavy machinery working near the imploded vat and National Guardsmen on the scene. The cause of the vat’s failure is still under investigation.
“I hope today will give the families affected by this incident the closure needed to begin the long process of healing,” Chief Brad Hannig of the Longview Fire Department said.
Emergency crews said their work continues but is slowed by the need to move debris from the blast.
The victims are as follows:
- Gilbert Bernal
- Tyler Covington
- Brad Covington
- Robert Wilson
- Dale Miller
- Jarred Ammons
- Braydon Finkas
- Clinton Grand
- John Forsberg
- Norman Barlow
- Dillon Miller
Find a running list of fundraisers to support the families affected here.