New video shows the extensive damage caused after a tank containing corrosive white liquor exploded at a paper mill in Longview, Washington.
WASHINGTON — New video shows the aftermath of a disaster Deadly explosion at paper mill in Washington state The incident is believed to have killed 11 people and injured eight others.
Crews resumed the search for nine workers at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. in Longview on Wednesday, though authorities have said there is no hope of finding survivors.
If the 11 deaths are confirmed, it would be one of the deadliest industrial accidents in the United States in recent decades – joining a series of factory explosions that killed 16 people. tennessee dynamite plant Last fall; a fire and explosion killed 14 people Texas Fertilizer Plant 2013; this deepwater horizon In 2010, an explosion on an oil drilling platform killed 11 people; in 2010, an explosion at a coal mine in West Virginia killed 29 people.
new live video Shows some of the destruction after the fact.
The video begins showing a destroyed parking lot with several cars crushed or flipped over by debris. In the background, a giant white water tank leans to one side, like a dropped soda can.
The implosion caused one side of the giant circular water tank to buckle and collapse, and officials said they were only able to work during the day because of the dangers posed at the plant.
The main hazard comes from crushed tanks. The structure itself still exists Unstable, creating hazardous conditions and impede recovery efforts.
But the main danger to first responders is the toxic mixture of chemicals now spread throughout the plant.
Authorities initially thought the tank contained 900,000 gallons of white liquor, a highly corrosive chemical used to break down wood chips into pulp, but now believe the amount was closer to 600,000 gallons.
Officials initially estimated about 90,000 gallons remained in the tank, but Goldstein said Wednesday that crews have determined about 25,000 gallons remain.
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The mill uses a common papermaking process called kraft milling. In kraft milling, wood chips are processed at high pressure and temperature (between 300 and 330 degrees Fahrenheit) while being exposed to extremely corrosive chemicals that cause the wood to break down into pulp.
Liquor is one of them Three main chemical solutions used in this papermaking process. It is a highly alkaline solution, similar to bleach, and can cause severe chemical burns if it comes in contact with skin. Unlike acids, which directly break the bonds between molecules, alkaline solutions change the molecules in organic materials so that they dissolve in water.
Finally this compound is extremely dangerous. The chemical solution is very hot and corrosive and can cause second- and third-degree burns almost immediately upon contact with skin. The vapors released by white liquor are also flammable and can cause damage to the eyes, lungs and throat if inhaled.
Goldstein said water tests confirmed contamination from white liquor entered the Columbia River. Officials are still working to determine the extent of the contamination.
The Washington State Department of Ecology is developing a plan to remove the contaminants, Gov. Bob Ferguson said. He said about a dozen dead carp had been removed from the embankment near the site.
Environmental monitoring remains in place, with fixed and portable systems testing air and water, officials said. Goldstein said there had been no negative impacts to air quality or Longview’s water supply as of Wednesday.
