1 Dead, 9 Missing After Chemical Tank Ruptures at Washington Paper Mill

At least one person is dead and nine workers remain unaccounted for after a massive chemical tank ruptured at a pulp and paper mill in Longview, Washington, Tuesday morning — and recovery efforts remain suspended due to the ongoing hazard of the corrosive chemicals involved.

The incident occurred at approximately 7:15 a.m. at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company facility on Industrial Way in Longview, a city of about 38,000 people located along the Washington-Oregon border near the Columbia River, roughly 50 miles northwest of Portland. A tank containing white liquor — a caustic chemical compound of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide used in the paper manufacturing process — ruptured catastrophically. The tank was initially believed to hold 80,000 gallons but authorities later determined it contained approximately 900,000 gallons, with an estimated 90,000 gallons still remaining inside the unstable structure as of Tuesday evening.

The Victim and the Missing

The one confirmed fatality was identified by his family as Gilbert Bernal, a grandfather whose son also worked at the mill. Nine employees remain unaccounted for. Families of all nine have been notified, authorities confirmed. Eight mill employees and one firefighter were injured — multiple people suffered chemical burns and were transported to area hospitals. Four patients were transferred to the Legacy Oregon Burn Center in Portland. PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview confirmed it received nine patients from the incident, one of whom was deceased on arrival.

As evening fell Tuesday, rescue workers suspended recovery operations due to the continued threat of exposure to the corrosive chemicals and the structural instability of the site.

"Due to the instability of the site, some areas remain inaccessible at this time," Longview Fire Department Battalion Chief Matt Amos said. He confirmed that recovery efforts were scheduled to resume Wednesday once structural reinforcement and stabilization of the site could be completed.

What White Liquor Is and Why It's Dangerous

White liquor is a chemical solution routinely used in kraft pulp processing — the method used to convert wood into paper pulp. It consists primarily of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide, both of which are highly caustic. Direct contact can cause severe chemical burns to skin. If inhaled, the fumes can damage the lungs. It is not flammable in the traditional sense but is corrosive enough to make rescue and recovery operations significantly more dangerous and complex than a conventional industrial accident.

Authorities initially described the incident as an explosion, then an implosion, before settling on "rupture" as the most accurate characterization. The cause of the rupture has not been determined. Washington State Department of Ecology spokesperson Anna Izenman confirmed that spill responders were monitoring for environmental impact. White liquor entered the storm drain system connected to the diking system near the facility. The diking system's pumps, which discharge to the Columbia River, were shut off as a precaution. Unlike oil, white liquor cannot be contained and collected after a spill.

The State Response

Washington Governor Bob Ferguson issued a statement Tuesday afternoon after meeting with state agency leaders. "Ecology and L&I have teams on the scene. Washington State Emergency Management is in constant communication with local responders. I directed our National Guard teams on alert," he said.

Authorities stressed there is no direct threat to the broader public. Residents were urged to avoid the Industrial Way area while emergency operations continued.

The Nippon Dynawave facility employs nearly 1,000 people and produces approximately 280,000 tons of bleached liquid packaging paperboard and pulp annually. Dozens of family members gathered Tuesday at the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers Local 153 Hall nearby, awaiting information about workers who had not been heard from.

This is a developing story.

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