Recovery Completes Five Days After Blast
Longview Fire Chief Brad Hannig announced Saturday that crews recovered the ninth and final missing employee five days after a chemical tank implosion at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. facility. The remains of two workers still missing after the Tuesday blast were located Saturday. One body had been recovered Friday while six others were found Thursday in a workers' area where employees gather before and after shifts.
The implosion occurred at 7:15 a.m. during a shift change. Two additional victims died at area hospitals after the rupture bringing the total death toll to 11. Cowlitz County Coroner Dana Tucker identified the victims as Gilbert Bernal 52 Tyler Covington 29 Bradley Covington 27 Robert Wilson 48 Dale Miller 54 Jared Ammons 35 Braydon Finkas 38 Clinton Doran 26 John Forsberg 51 Norman Barlow 58 and Dillon Miller.
Complex Hazards Slowed Search Efforts
Longview Fire Department Battalion Chief Matt Amos described the scene Thursday as very complex with exposed electrical wiring and collapsed structures complicating recovery. Crews rotated in and out of the area and underwent decontamination each time they exited. Kurt Stitch deputy chief with Cowlitz 2 Fire and Rescue called the process methodical and incredibly difficult for everyone involved including moving heavy items and conducting drone flyovers.
Responders could not initially predict when they would recover the remaining bodies. The search continued despite industrial hazards at the southern Washington facility located in Longview along the border with Oregon.
Tank Held Hazardous White Liquor
The tank that failed held white liquor, a chemical mixture of sodium hydroxide, sodium sulfide, and disodium carbonate used in paper and pulp processing. It had a capacity of 900000 gallons and was about two thirds full at the time of the rupture. Roughly 25000 gallons of material may remain inside the damaged tank leaking out slowly.
The tank remained in the same condition Thursday as the day before according to Amos. White liquor reached the Columbia River in the first minutes after the rupture though the exact volume is unknown.
Environmental Response Protects Water Supply
Environmental Protection Agency coordinator Brooks Stanfield identified hydrogen sulfide as a main concern but said none has been detected in the air. Some liquid from the tank leaked into a complex of nearby ditches that sit above the source for the city's drinking water where people and pets have access. Chris Collins Public Works director said testing indicates the water is safe to drink for now with no cause for concern because it comes from an aquifer 200 feet deep with very protected wells.
Authorities implemented a two part plan to clear the ditches by pumping fresh water in to dilute the chemicals then flushing the system into the Columbia River once pH levels reach a safe point. Fire hydrants were opened to assist with dilution. Stanfield reported improvement in pH levels in the ditch system by Friday and confirmed contaminated water was diverted away from the wellhead area.
Dead fish were found in the contaminated ditch complex with more expected until the system can be safely flushed. Stanfield stated it is safe to fish and swim in the Columbia River right now. Collins emphasized that the aquifer and wells remain isolated from surface contamination.
Mill Operations Halted With Pay Assurance
Nippon Dynawave's director of support services Brian Wood said the mill was shut down after the implosion with only some critical infrastructure still operating at minimum staffing. The company has made arrangements to pay people who are not working and will continue to do so. Wood noted the plant operates in a highly hazardous atmosphere and industry approaching it with the utmost care adding that he will let the facts speak for themselves.
Several more people were injured in the incident though the exact number and their conditions remained unclear Thursday. Some patients were transported to the Legacy Oregon Burn Center in Portland Oregon. The investigation into the cause of the implosion continues.
Families Face Loss After Confirmed Fatalities
The completed recovery brings finality to families of the 11 men who died at the facility. Six victims were located together in the workers' area highlighting the timing of the blast during shift change. Officials described the recovery as a difficult process for all involved including first responders who worked through hazards to locate every person.
Wood's comments about the hazardous nature of the work reflect the daily risks accepted by employees at such plants. Pay arrangements for non working staff provide one concrete measure of support during the shutdown.
The next step for the community involves continued monitoring of the diluted ditch system and the ongoing investigation results which will determine what changes if any are implemented at similar facilities nationwide.
