Recovery efforts are continuing after a deadly explosion at Japan’s Dynawave paper mill left nine people dead and two missing, with ongoing environmental impacts being monitored.
LONGVIEW, Wash. — Fire officials say recovery operations are continuing into their fourth day following a hazardous incident. fatal implosion At the Dynawave paper mill in Japan.
The industrial accident occurred around 7:15 a.m. Tuesday during a shift change, said Cowlitz Fire Rescue Fire Chief Scott Goldstein. The implosion damaged administrative offices, break rooms and operational areas within the facility.
Officials initially believed the tank contained about 900,000 gallons of white liquor, a highly corrosive substance used in the papermaking process, but later revised that estimate to about 600,000 gallons. Authorities also reduced the estimated remaining volume in the tank from 90,000 gallons to about 25,000 gallons.
Longview Fire Chief Brad Hannig confirmed Friday that rescuers had found another victim. Nine people have been confirmed dead and two are missing.
Hannig said he met with the family earlier in the day to provide an update on recovery efforts, emphasizing the scale of the loss and the community’s continued support.
“I want to acknowledge the tremendous impact this incident has had and will continue to have on the victim’s family, co-workers, rescue workers and the community at large. I would also like to thank you for the outpouring of support we have received from the community as we continue to process this incident,” Hannig said.
He added that recovery operations were now expanding into previously inaccessible areas, while stressing that the safety of rescuers and the dignity of victims remained the highest priority.
Fire Chief Matt Amos said multiple local, regional, state and federal agencies remain involved in the response, as well as facility personnel and contractors who have been on scene throughout the incident.
Amos said crews worked through the night, using vacuum trucks and long hoses to manage the chemical mix in the area to reduce the risk of restricted access. These efforts allow rescuers to gain deeper access to the scene, improve aerial readings and get closer to the location of the victims.
He said recovery remains slow and methodical due to ongoing industrial hazards and the need to document every step of the process for investigative purposes. Officials also continue to maintain an exclusion zone around the tank, which remains unchanged and is being monitored with drones.
“Right now, we are working closer to where the victims were found, which helps our rescuers recover and improves turnaround time. Our work is still very slow and methodical,” Amos said.
Amos stressed continued coordination and safety precautions, noting that while the operation is difficult, progress is being made.
environmental impact
Brooks Stanfield, federal field coordinator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, said multiple agencies are working together on the ground as recovery efforts continue in the most affected areas.
“As firefighters carry out their operations, we have been working hard to take every step to ensure public health and the environment are protected throughout the process,” Stanfield said.
Stanfield said the EPA is also committed to protecting public health through ongoing air monitoring, and so far no harmful gases have been detected. Monitoring will continue until officials are confident there is no ongoing release risk from the facility, he said.
He added that water conditions in community ditch systems were improving as flushing operations continued, but some remote areas still required targeted work.
“We’ve started to see significant improvements in pH in the trenches, trench systems, particularly in the trenches directly above the well fields, which is a priority area for us,” Stanfield said.
There are currently no fish warnings or recreational restrictions in the Columbia River, said Courtney Selard, field coordinator for the Washington Department of Ecology.
Serad said Chinook salmon are currently migrating upstream and officials are working to reduce potential impacts to wildlife associated with the river system. She said 23 fish, including carp, catfish and sunfish, had been found so far, although access restrictions meant not all affected areas could be reached.
“Everyone involved in this response cares deeply about these natural resources,” Serad said.
She added that due to the steep and dangerous terrain, some fish may not recover and urged the public not to handle or collect dead fish. Officials continue to coordinate with federal partners, including the U.S. Coast Guard, to monitor conditions in the ditch system and Columbia River.
“As we continue to flush the ditches, we do expect that some dead fish that cannot be recovered will be discharged during pumping activities. Any dead fish observed in the Columbia River are expected to come from these ditches,” Selard said.
Longview Public Works Director Chris Collins said the city’s drinking water remains safe and the water system does not pose a risk to public health.
“There remains no threat to our drinking water or public health associated with our drinking water systems,” Collins said.
Collins said odor issues have been reported in parts of the community, including a “rotten egg” smell near ditches. This was caused by hydrogen sulfide released during the dilution process and was not considered hazardous, he said, adding that it indicated flushing and pumping operations were taking place.
He also urged the public to stay away from ditch areas and to keep pets and animals away from water sources due to elevated pH levels. Lake Sacagawea will gradually reduce its water volume over the coming week to support ongoing flushing efforts, he said.
Collins said the progress made in the past 24 hours was significant, but stressed that continued monitoring and response efforts are needed to protect the city’s water supply and surrounding environment.
