Today's Edition
(DPA)
Authorities in the north-western US state of Washington confirmed a second death on Wednesday following an industrial incident involving the rupture of a tank containing chemicals at a paper mill, with no more survivors expected.
One person was confirmed dead on Tuesday following the rupture of a tank containing white liquor, a chemical solution used to break down wood chips into pulp, at Nippon Dynawave Packaging in Longview, near Washington State's border with Oregon.
One of the eight Nippon Dynawave Packaging employees rescued on Tuesday succumbed to his injuries, local authorities said on Wednesday. Nine people remained missing and were presumed dead, with the death toll now expected to go up to 11.
"We have declared this incident a transition from rescue to recovery as of this morning," Cowlitz County Fire Chief Scott Goldstein said at a news conference on Wednesday.
Seven injured employees remained in hospital, while one injured firefighter has returned home, Goldstein said.
Governor Bob Ferguson said: "We're bracing ourselves for this being the deadliest industrial tragedy in modern Washington state history."
The clean-up operation was hampered because of "safety concerns of the structural integrity of the damaged tank," local authorities said in a joint statement with Nippon Dynawave Packaging. However, there is less residual liquid in the tank than previously thought, which is why the recovery operation could now proceed cautiously.
The packaging plant is located next to the Columbia River, which separates the states of Washington and Oregon. According to the fire department, some of the white liquor leaked into the river during the accident.
Samples have confirmed contamination, but there was initially no danger to the Longview City water supply.
