"Search crews are expected to navigate treacherous circumstances as they continue efforts to recover nine people, who are presumed dead, a day after a deadly chemical tank rupture at a paper plant in Washington state.
At least two were confirmed dead and another eight people were injured after a 900,000-gallon tank containing hazardous chemicals ruptured Tuesday morning at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. facility in Longview. Officials said spillage from the tank sent contamination into the Columbia River, considered the lifeblood of the Pacific Northwest.
Officials originally said about 90,000 gallons of material could still be inside the damaged tank, but a subsequent inspection determined the amount to be roughly 25,000 gallons. That remaining liquid is believed to be on the opposite side of the tank from the leak, which is releasing material at a slower rate than on Tuesday, officials said.
The tank contained a mixture called white liquor, which is used in paper-making processes and can cause second- and third-degree burns when it comes into contact with skin. Inhaling concentrated vapor around the liquid can also be dangerous, though it primarily acts as an irritant when in the air."
Emma Tucker, Alisha Ebrahimji, Hanna Park, Holly Yan, Nick Watt report for CNN May 27, 2026.
