Death toll in US paper factory chemical spill rises to 11

Tragedy struck Longview, Washington, as the death toll from a chemical spill at a paper factory rose to 11. The incident unfolded early Tuesday morning at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility when a massive tank, holding approximately 3.4 million liters of a highly corrosive chemical, ruptured.

Emergency services launched a large-scale search and rescue operation following the explosion. Fire Chief Brad Hannig of the Longview Fire Department confirmed the recovery of the ninth and final missing employee on Wednesday, bringing the total number of deceased to 11. Earlier reports had indicated two fatalities and nine missing individuals.

The chemical involved, identified as a highly alkaline solution containing sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide, is crucial in the pulping process for paper manufacturing. The rupture occurred during a shift change, indicating a potential failure in the containment system.

Nippon Dynawave Packaging, a subsidiary of Japan's Nippon Paper Group, produces an estimated eight billion single-use containers annually, supplying markets across North America, Asia, and globally. The company has not yet released a statement regarding the incident's cause or its impact on operations.

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We have found the ninth and final missing employee from this incident.