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Diana Winther, left, and Kellie Webber, embrace during an evening prayer and vigil in support for the victims and their families impacted by Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. tank implosion, at R.A. Long Park in Longview, Wash., on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (Karen Ducey\/The Seattle Times via AP)<\/p>\n
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Damage is seen at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co., after a tank containing hazardous liquid imploded, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Longview, Wash. (Karen Ducey\/The Seattle Times via AP)<\/p>\n
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Washington state Gov. Bob Ferguson speaks during a news conference, Wednesday, May 27, 2026, regarding the implosion of a Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. tank containing hazardous liquid in Longview, Wash. (Karen Ducey\/The Seattle Times via AP)<\/p>\n
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Damage is seen at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co., after a tank containing hazardous liquid imploded, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Longview, Wash. (Karen Ducey\/The Seattle Times via AP)<\/p>\n
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Kaeden Beck, 16, lays down candles during an evening prayer and vigil, in support for the victims and their families impacted by Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. tank implosion, at R.A. Long Park in Longview, Wash., on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (Karen Ducey\/The Seattle Times via AP)<\/p>\n
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LONGVIEW, Wash. (AP) \u2014 Crews have recovered the remains of six of nine workers who were missing after a massive chemical tank ruptured at at paper mill in Washington state, releasing a flood of caustic liquid capable of causing severe burns and lung injuries, officials said Thursday.<\/p>\n
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In all, 11 people were killed in the disaster, including the three yet to be recovered, and eight injured. It\u2019s one of the deadliest U.S. workplace accidents in recent decades.<\/p>\n
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A tank containing more than 500,000 gallons (1.9 million liters) of a chemical mixture used to break down wood for making paper collapsed Tuesday morning at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. in Longview, a city along the Columbia River.<\/p>\n
The collapse occurred during a shift change, and the six workers whose remains were recovered had been in an area where they would congregate in the morning as they awaited their assignments for the day, said Matt Amos, Longview fire battalion chief.<\/p>\n
Among the victims were a grandfather who was always willing to help anyone and a young husband described as selfless and caring, according to friends who organized fundraisers for the victims\u2019 families.<\/p>\n
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The recovery of the victims has been slow and deliberate, complicated by the dangers posed by the remaining chemicals and other industrial hazards, Amos said. Crews were steering clear of a zone closest to the tank, in case of further collapse. They have been working with engineers to determine whether damaged buildings around the tank are safe to enter.<\/p>\n
As they collect the remains, crews must decontaminate them before turning them over to the coroner’s office for identification. The searchers also must decontaminate themselves.<\/p>\n
Authorities said the cause of the disaster is still under investigation. They have not released the names of those who were killed, but friends and relatives had begun confirming their names and posting online fundraisers to support their families.<\/p>\n
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Gilbert Bernal, a grandfather who was an electrician at the plant, was the first confirmed death, said his friend Todd Cornwell.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was one of the most genuinely good people that you\u2019ve ever met. He would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. He was always there willing to help in whatever needed to be done,” Cornwell said.<\/p>\n
CJ Doran, who was 26, was among those presumed dead, according to a GoFundMe post verified by the crowdfunding site.<\/p>\n
He was a husband who was \u201cthe spiritual leader of their family, the joy of their home, and the family provider,\u201d the post said.<\/p>\n
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