TOXIC BLAST HORROR

1 Dead and 9 Missing in Chemical Tank Disaster

A tank holding nearly one million gallons of corrosive “white liquor” exploded.

One person is dead and nine are missing after a chemical tank exploded at a Washington paper mill. The blast erupted Tuesday at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging paper mill when a tank holding nearly one million gallons of corrosive “white liquor” exploded, leaving several people seriously injured. Authorities said the cause remains unclear. Officials have now shifted from a rescue to a recovery operation, with the missing workers feared dead. Crews delayed recovery efforts until daylight because of concerns the damaged tank—which still contains roughly 90,000 gallons of chemicals—could collapse. The mill, which employs about 1,000 people and produces paper and packaging materials, has faced multiple safety complaints. State records show the company has also been fined for several workplace safety violations since 2021, according to the Associated Press. Authorities said there is no threat to the public.