Nippon Incident UPDATE—Classic Hits 100.7 KLOG News

It’s a tragedy beyond anything many in Longview say they could have imagined, as officials now suspect 11 people are dead following Tuesday morning’s catastrophic failure of a massive tank containing the highly corrosive material known as white liquor at Nippon Dynawave Packaging. Washington Governor Bob Ferguson says the incident is potentially the deadliest industrial tragedy in modern Washington history.

During another press conference held yesterday afternoon, officials confirmed one more fatality after an individual succumbed to their injuries at the hospital, bringing the confirmed death toll to two. Nine others remain missing and are presumed dead, as Scott Goldstein said crews are now transitioning into recovery operations. Newly identified among the missing are brothers Tyler and Brad Covington, Dylan Miller, and Andriana Milton. Earlier, Gilbert Bernal had been identified by family members as one of those who died after being hospitalized. Seven employees remain hospitalized, while the firefighter injured during the response has since been released.

Chief Goldstein said investigators estimate only about 25,000 gallons of white liquor remain inside the original 900,000-gallon tank after roughly 500,000 gallons were released during the blast. Crews continue working to stabilize the damaged structure so recovery teams can safely enter the area. Officials say any recovered individuals will undergo decontamination before being transported to the Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office for identification and family notification.

The incident occurred around 7:15 a.m. near a shift change at the facility. Officials say the impacted areas included a break room along with administrative and operational workspaces. Investigators currently do not believe any video of the explosion exists, but officials described the blast as extremely powerful, causing major damage to vehicles, buildings, and mechanical equipment throughout the site.

The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries confirmed it currently has open inspections involving the facility, although officials declined to provide specifics. Details including the age of the tank and when it was last inspected remain unknown. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez said employees she has spoken with want answers about what happened.

Environmental mitigation efforts are also underway. The Consolidated Diking Improvement District No. 1, operating under oversight from the EPA and the Washington State Department of Ecology, has resumed pumping operations at the Reynolds Way Industrial Pumping Station in an effort to pull contaminated water away from nearby sloughs, residential neighborhoods, and the city’s water supply system.

City water crews are also conducting hydrant flushing operations throughout the area, sending additional clean water into the stormwater drainage system to help prevent contaminated water from flowing back toward town. The city has additionally begun diverting water from the Cowlitz River intake structure into Ditch 3 to increase water flow through the system. Residents in affected areas may temporarily notice lower water pressure while operations continue.

Officials say the city’s drinking water remains safe and is being continuously monitored. While no significant negative impacts to air quality or drinking water have been detected, authorities continue monitoring waterways and are asking the public to stay away from nearby ditches, dikes, and sloughs while testing and mitigation work continues. Officials also confirmed the Columbia River experienced at least an initial change in pH levels following the release.

The cause of the tank failure remains under investigation. Nippon Dynawave says it is fully cooperating with investigators. The next press conference is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. today.