Early Tuesday morning, a 900,000-gallon chemical tank failed at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. The tank rupture released tens of thousands of gallons of the caustic chemical known as white liquor, which is used to break wood chips into pulp to make paper.
Nine people who were injured as a result of the tank rupture were initially taken to Longview’s PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center.
PeaceHealth spokesman Jim Murez said four of those patients were transferred to other hospitals in the region, including the Legacy Oregon Burn Center, for a higher level of care. One worker was declared dead Tuesday after being taken to the Longview hospital. A second person was confirmed dead Wednesday.
Four patients stayed in Longview and were treated at the medical center. They have now all been discharged.
Nine others remain missing and are presumed dead.
