LONGVIEW, Wash. — Tuesday marks one week since the deadly implosion at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Plant. Officials say a chemical tank holding up to 900,000 gallons of “white liquor” imploded, killing 11 people and injuring several others.
Now, union representatives from the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers (AWPPW) say they are working to make sure each victim’s family gets the financial help they need to make it through this tragedy.
In the wake of the disaster, Josh Estes with the AWPPW said the city of Longview is pulling together.
“In this time of need, they [the victim’s families] see the community is behind them, and that means a tremendous amount,” Estes said.
He tells us the support has been nothing short of incredible.
“I know what a mill town has the ability to do, and I’m not surprised by what Longview and the communities are doing; they’ve been doing this for generations,” Estes said.
He tells us a large fund has been created to help each family of those who were injured or killed.
“Incredibly generous support, the labor community banded together really quickly,” he said.
That money is not only for immediate needs, but for the long term as well.
“Preparing for what we currently don’t know, a period of uncertainty, it might take a while for this process to work itself out,” said Estes.
He says even large companies are helping in unexpected ways, like bringing loved ones in from out of town.
“We’ve connected with Alaska Airlines, and they are going to be supporting some of that work, so our role is not just to administer money but be a conduit for resources,” Estes said.
Estes tells us this week that they are also focusing on making sure current employees won’t lose a paycheck.
“That means supporting the families but also getting us in a position to get folks back to work at some point, their livelihood depends on that, the town and economy as well,” added Estes.
Right now, the Nippon Dynawave mill is not up and running, but employees are supposed to be paid at least through Sunday.
If you would like to make a donation, you can do so at CWCLC.org.
For those who have lost a loved one in the tragedy, Estes is asking you to email Longviewimpactedworkers@AWPPW.org with a list of needs you have at any point.
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