All 11 Victims Recovered in Southwest Washington Paper Mill Implosion

Five days after a chemical tank implosion killed workers at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility in Longview, Washington, officials announced that the remains of all missing employees had been recovered from the site.

"Today, on day five of this incident, I can share that we have recovered the ninth and final missing employee of this incident," Longview Fire Chief Brad Hannig said at a news conference on Saturday, May 30th.

Recovery efforts had been ongoing since Tuesday's chemical tank implosion and rupture at the plant. Two victims were transported to hospitals and later died, bringing the total death toll to 11. Eight additional workers were injured, suffering chemical burns and inhalation injuries, according to FOX 13 Seattle.

A Complex & Dangerous Recovery

The implosion occurred in the morning on Tuesday, May 26th at the Nippon Dynawave plant when a tank built to hold 900,000 gallons of white liquor—a noxious chemical used in the paper-pulping process—collapsed in on itself. The implosion expelled a flood of caustic chemicals powerful enough to overturn pickup trucks and damage buildings at the site. White liquor causes severe burns on contact and lung damage if vapors are inhaled.

Cowlitz County Fire Chief Scott Goldstein announced Wednesday that the incident had transitioned from rescue to recovery. Recovery teams faced significant obstacles throughout the five-day effort. Six bodies recovered Thursday were found in a workers' area where employees gather before and after shifts. Another body was recovered Friday and the final two were recovered Saturday, according to Saturday’s press conference.

Longview Fire Department Battalion Chief Matt Amos noted that the scene was "very complex," involving several serious hazards, including collapsed structures and exposed wiring. Further complicating recovery efforts, crews were forced to alternate, undergoing a complete decontamination process each time they left the scene.

According to NBC News, the recovery process was described by Cowlitz 2 Fire and Rescue Deputy Chief Kurt Stitch as "methodical and incredibly difficult for everyone that's been involved," requiring the movement of heavy equipment and drone flyovers to ensure no victims were overlooked.

Environmental Concerns

Following the implosion, officials worked to dilute high-pH water in ditches contaminated by the chemical spill. The ditch system sits atop an aquifer and a well field that supplies drinking water for nearby communities, though officials stressed that contaminated water was diverted away from the wellhead area and that the area’s water supply remains safe.

Contamination concerns have been raised, particularly given the facility’s location near the Columbia River, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it had been monitoring the situation. Authorities said the spill had not contaminated air or drinking water in and around Longview, a city of about 40,000 people along Washington's border with Oregon.

Investigation Remains Ongoing

The implosion marks the deadliest industrial accident in Washington’s modern history, and the cause is not yet known. The Washington Department of Labor and Industries said its investigation could take up to six months. Lawmakers and grieving family members are calling for an impartial investigation into the incident.

At Arnold & Itkin, our hearts go out to the family members, friends, and communities grieving the tragic loss of their loved ones. As ever, our firm remains committed to seeing justice and accountability served in the wake of tragic industrial disasters like these.