At least one dead after tank implodes at U.S. industrial plant

A chemical tank imploded and ruptured at a Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility in Washington state on Tuesday, leaving at least one person dead and others critically injured, authorities said.

The incident happened in Longview, about 45 miles north of Portland, Oregon.

At least nine workers and one firefighter were taken to the hospital with chemical burns and other injuries, according to Scott Goldstein, chief of Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue. 

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PeaceHealth St John Medical Centre in Longview said it treated nine patients linked to the incident, including one who later died. Six were in fair condition, while two others were transferred to other facilities.

Authorities said the explosion posed “no immediate threat to the surrounding community”.

The incident occurred at around 07:15 local time, when a tank containing “white liquor”, a chemical solution used in paper production, ruptured. The 80,000-gallon tank was about 60% full at the time, officials said.

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