LONGVIEW, Wash. — Two people are dead, nine people are missing, and eight more are hurt after a vat containing hundreds of thousands of gallons of dangerous chemicals failed at the Nippon Dynawave packaging plant in Longview.
KIRO 7 has learned the identity of the first person confirmed dead: Gilbert Bernal. A friend has set up a GoFundMe for his family to pay for funeral expenses.
“He was a Godly man in every sense of the word,” the organizer, Todd Cornwell, wrote.
“Thank you so much to those who have donated to our family. Every donation is greatly appreciated and we appreciate our community coming together to help support my family during this time,” wrote his daughter, Geovana Bernal.
If you’d like to donate, you can do so by clicking here.
On Wednesday, the Longview Fire Department issued an update that a second person died at the hospital from their injuries. That person’s name has not yet been released.
Many people came together Tuesday night in song and prayer at a vigil in downtown Longview. Organizers said this is a loss that’s touched everyone in the community.
“When anything happens at the mills, we all know someone affected,” said Spencer Boudreau, the vigil organizer and former Longview mayor. “This is probably the worst job site disaster we have had here, ever.”
Several state agencies have been called in to help, including the National Guard, the Department of Health, the Department of Ecology, and the Department of Labor and Industries, to assist in cleanup and the investigation into what happened.
Officials said Wednesday that crews are on a recovery mission for the nine missing employees, rather than a rescue.
Another GoFundMe has identified one of the missing employees as Jared Ammons.
Jared has left behind a wife, two kids, and one on the way.
“Jared was a loving husband, devoted father, cherished son, and caring brother. His loss has left an unimaginable hole in the hearts of everyone who knew him,” the organizer, Maddie Adams, shared.
If you’d like to donate, click here.
Dillon Miller, another employee, is among those who are missing. Jenna Jensen has set up a Meal Train for his family, to help them through this difficult time.
“We are organizing a meal train to support Ana Soto and her three children during the heartbreaking loss of Dillon Miller following the Nippon tragedy. As Ana and her family navigate unimaginable grief, we hope to ease even a small part of the burden by helping with meals during this difficult time.If you are able, please consider signing up to provide a meal, gift card, or support for the family. Every act of kindness is deeply appreciated as they focus on healing and being together,” she shared.
If you’d like to contribute, click here.
Seven injured employees and one injured firefighter are still receiving treatment. No word on their conditions at this time.
KIRO 7 News is working to confirm the identities of the others who are feared dead in the disaster and will update this when more information becomes available.
The implosion
At approximately 7:18 a.m. Tuesday, the Longview Fire Department (LFD) responded to a hazardous material incident at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company.
According to fire officials, a tank containing a highly acidic chemical called white liquor ruptured. Images from the aftermath show flipped cars and a crushed vat.
Currently, the tank remains unstable, “creating hazardous conditions for emergency personnel,” Longview Fire said.
Emergency officials said it is still not clear what caused the vat to fail.
About Nippon Dynaware Packaging Company
The Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company is a kraft pulp and paper mill and liquid packaging plant. The pulp and paper mill currently has roughly 550 employees, while the liquid packaging plant has about 450 employees, according to the Washington State Department of Ecology.
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