LONGVIEW, Wash. — The Washington State Department of Ecology has released detailed images from the Nippon Dynawave paper mill plant in Longview, where a chemical tank imploded. 11 people died, and several other people were hurt.
Video from the department shows the aftermath of the blast:
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In it, you can see one of the contractor vacuum trucks that has been removing contaminated water so crews can work safely. Everything collected is transferred to the on-site water treatment center.
The video also features an up-close look at the tank, walls that came tumbling down, and a number of work trucks that were destroyed.
The May 26 incident resulted in hundreds of thousands of gallons of white liquor spilling into the city’s stormwater outfalls and canal system.
The Department of Ecology also shared some images of the fish that died after being exposed.
About the implosion
At approximately 7:18 a.m. on May 26, the Longview Fire Department (LFD) responded to a hazardous material incident at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company.
According to fire officials, a tank containing hundreds of thousands of gallons of a highly acidic chemical called white liquor ruptured.
The first death was confirmed the day of the disaster. Nine people were rushed to the hospital, where a day later, a second person died.
Multiple state agencies were called in to help with cleanup and the investigation, including the National Guard, the Department of Health, the Department of Ecology, and the Department of Labor and Industries.
By Saturday, emergency crews recovered the bodies of all missing employees. In total, 11 people died in the disaster.
Governor Bob Ferguson has called this the deadliest industrial tragedy in state history.
Emergency officials said it is still not clear what caused the vat to fail.
About Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company
The Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company is a kraft pulp and paper mill and liquid packaging plant. The pulp and paper mill currently has roughly 550 employees, while the liquid packaging plant has about 450 employees, according to the Washington State Department of Ecology.