Eleven confirmed dead in Washington state chemical accident, all bodies recovered

Authorities confirmed on Saturday that 11 people died following a chemical tank rupture at a Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility in Washington state. Recovery crews located the bodies of the nine individuals who had been missing, bringing the total confirmed fatalities to 11.

The incident occurred on Tuesday when a tank holding approximately 900,000 gallons (3.4 million liters) of "white liquor", a solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide used in paper pulp manufacturing, ruptured. The search for the missing involved recovery crews working through debris and the use of drones to survey the site.

Officials have stated that contamination from the ruptured tank reached the nearby Columbia River. However, they have also reported that no adverse health effects have been detected concerning air quality or the drinking water supply for the city of Longview. Nippon Paper Industries, Japan's second-largest paper manufacturer, acquired the Longview plant in 2016.

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The search for the missing carried on through the week as recovery crews worked through debris in indoor areas and flew drones over the perimeter of the site.