Chemical tank rupture in Washington state causes one death, multiple injuries

A chemical tank imploded and ruptured at a Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility ​in the U.S. state of Washington on Tuesday, resulting in one death and nine ‌injuries, while nine others remained unaccounted for as of Tuesday night, authorities said.

A joint written statement with Nippon and the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Department said a tank containing “white liquor,” a chemical solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide ​used in making paper pulp, had ruptured around 7:15 a.m. local time (1415 GMT), Reuters reported.

While the ​tank was initially believed to hold around 80,000 gallons (302,830 litres), officials later said ⁠it contained closer to 900,000 gallons of white liquor, with an estimated 90,000 gallons of material ​still inside the damaged tank.

Recovery efforts would resume on Wednesday at the site in the city of ​Longview in Cowlitz County, about 45 miles (72 km) north of Portland, Oregon, as the tank remained unstable, Longview Fire Department Battalion Chief Matt Amos said during a media briefing.

The injured, some critical, included eight employees of the facility ​as well as one firefighter, Amos said, adding that the firefighter had been treated and released.

Authorities ​had earlier said that multiple patients suffered from chemical burns.

Officials reiterated in the evening that the implosion posed “no ‌direct threat ⁠to the surrounding community.”

At the media briefing, Washington state Governor Bob Ferguson said: “It’s difficult always to find the words at a time like this … Our thoughts and our prayers are with everybody impacted by this tragedy.”

PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview told ABC News earlier in the day ​that six of the patients ​were in fair ⁠condition.

Nippon Paper Industries, Japan’s second-biggest paper manufacturer by sales, acquired the Longview plant from Seattle-based timber company Weyerhaeuser for $225 million and established the wholly-owned subsidiary ​Nippon Dynawave Packaging in 2016.

Japanese media reported that no injury was confirmed ​among Japanese employees, ⁠citing the Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle.

In southern California, meanwhile, authorities have been monitoring an overheating industrial tank containing highly flammable methyl methacrylate. The worst-case possibility of an explosion was ruled out on Monday at ⁠the GKN ​Aerospace facility in Garden Grove after a crack relieved ​some of the mounting pressure, officials said.