The explosion of a chemical tank at a paper factory in the State of Washington, in the far northwest of the United States, on the morning of this Tuesday has left an as yet unknown number of dead and injured. According to local authorities, emergency services responded to a “multiple victim scene.” In a joint statement, the company Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. and local security forces stated that the tank rupture had caused “multiple critical injuries,” as well as deaths, although they did not report the number of victims. They also confirmed that the injuries had been caused by burns or inhalation of toxic substances, and that there was no longer a threat to the public.
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The incident occurred at 7:15 am local time (16:15 in peninsular Spain), at the company’s facilities in Longview. Four hours later, the joint statement assured that rescue operations were still active. “The area remains in recovery phase while emergency services continue their operations. For the moment, no information will be provided that allows identification of the injured or deceased, pending notification to their families,” the note added. Some people had gathered near the factory to inquire about their loved ones, according to AP.
Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. produces paper, packaging, and material for tissues, cups, plates, cardboard boxes, and other products. According to the Washington State Department of Ecology, it employs about 1,000 people.
The tank that exploded contained a chemical mixture known as “white liquor” (white liquor), a corrosive substance mainly composed of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide used to break down wood and manufacture kraft paper, a strong paper used in packaging, shopping bags, and other products. If it comes into contact with the skin, it can cause severe chemical burns, and inhalation can also cause fainting.
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Mike Gorsuch, battalion chief of the Longview fire department, explained in a local television appearance that emergency teams had already decontaminated the patients and transferred them to hospitals in Longview and Vancouver (Washington). According to Gorsuch, about 40 firefighters and paramedics attended the scene, along with a regional hazardous materials team.
Longview is a city of about 38,000 inhabitants located in Cowlitz County, about 80 kilometers north of Portland, Oregon, and on the banks of the Columbia River. There are several pulp and paper mills in the area.
The explosion occurs while another chemical emergency remains active in the western part of the country. In Southern California, thousands of residents remain evacuated after a damaged storage tank at aerospace facilities raised fears of a possible explosion. Although the risk has decreased, thousands of people living nearby were still evacuated on Tuesday.
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