9 missing after Washington paper mill tank implosion and officials say there’s no hope of survivors

9 missing after Washington paper mill tank implosion and officials say there’s no hope of survivors 1 of 8 | The severity of the injuries ranged from minor to critical, with some suffering burns or inhalation injuries, authorities said. Among those injured was a responding firefighter. Officials said they would only work during daylight hours because there was a risk of the tank leaking more caustic liquid and potentially collapsing. 2 of 8 | The implosion of a chemical tank at a pulp and paper mill in southwestern Washington state on Tuesday killed an undisclosed number of people, local authorities and company officials confirmed. 3 of 8 | Authorities say an undisclosed number of people have been killed and or remained missing after the implosion of a chemical tank at a pulp and paper mill in southwestern Washington state on Tuesday. 4 of 8 | Damage is seen at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co., after a tank containing hazardous liquid imploded, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Longview, Wash. (Karen Ducey/The Seattle Times via AP) 5 of 8 | Damage is seen at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co., after a tank containing hazardous liquid imploded, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Longview, Wash. (Karen Ducey/The Seattle Times via AP) 6 of 8 | Diana Winther, left, and Kellie Webber, embrace in a hug during an evening prayer and vigil in support for the victims and their families impacted by Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. tank implosion, at R.A. Long Park in Longview, Wash., on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (Karen Ducey /The Seattle Times via AP) 7 of 8 | Kaeden Beck, 16, lays down electric candles during an evening prayer and vigil, in support for the victims and their families impacted by Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. tank implosion, at R.A. Long Park in Longview, Wash., on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (Karen Ducey /The Seattle Times via AP) 8 of 8 | This photo provided by the Longview" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="135310" data-entity-type="organization">City of Longview, Wash., shows structural damage to the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co., after a tank containing hazardous liquid imploded, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 in Longview, Wash. (Longview" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="135310" data-entity-type="organization">City of Longview via AP) 1 of 8 The severity of the injuries ranged from minor to critical, with some suffering burns or inhalation injuries, authorities said. Among those injured was a responding firefighter. Officials said they would only work during daylight hours because there was a risk of the tank leaking more caustic liquid and potentially collapsing. Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 2 of 8 The implosion of a chemical tank at a pulp and paper mill in southwestern Washington state on Tuesday killed an undisclosed number of people, local authorities and company officials confirmed. Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 3 of 8 Authorities say an undisclosed number of people have been killed and or remained missing after the implosion of a chemical tank at a pulp and paper mill in southwestern Washington state on Tuesday. Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 4 of 8 | Damage is seen at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co., after a tank containing hazardous liquid imploded, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Longview, Wash. (Karen Ducey/The Seattle Times via AP) 4 of 8 Damage is seen at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co., after a tank containing hazardous liquid imploded, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Longview, Wash. (Karen Ducey/The Seattle Times via AP) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 5 of 8 | Damage is seen at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co., after a tank containing hazardous liquid imploded, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Longview, Wash. (Karen Ducey/The Seattle Times via AP) 5 of 8 Damage is seen at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co., after a tank containing hazardous liquid imploded, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Longview, Wash. (Karen Ducey/The Seattle Times via AP) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 6 of 8 | Diana Winther, left, and Kellie Webber, embrace in a hug during an evening prayer and vigil in support for the victims and their families impacted by Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. tank implosion, at R.A. Long Park in Longview, Wash., on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (Karen Ducey /The Seattle Times via AP) 6 of 8 Diana Winther, left, and Kellie Webber, embrace in a hug during an evening prayer and vigil in support for the victims and their families impacted by Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. tank implosion, at R.A. Long Park in Longview, Wash., on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (Karen Ducey /The Seattle Times via AP) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 7 of 8 | Kaeden Beck, 16, lays down electric candles during an evening prayer and vigil, in support for the victims and their families impacted by Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. tank implosion, at R.A. Long Park in Longview, Wash., on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (Karen Ducey /The Seattle Times via AP) 7 of 8 Kaeden Beck, 16, lays down electric candles during an evening prayer and vigil, in support for the victims and their families impacted by Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. tank implosion, at R.A. Long Park in Longview, Wash., on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (Karen Ducey /The Seattle Times via AP) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 8 of 8 | This photo provided by the Longview" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="135310" data-entity-type="organization">City of Longview, Wash., shows structural damage to the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co., after a tank containing hazardous liquid imploded, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 in Longview, Wash. (Longview" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="135310" data-entity-type="organization">City of Longview via AP) 8 of 8 This photo provided by the Longview" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="135310" data-entity-type="organization">City of Longview, Wash., shows structural damage to the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co., after a tank containing hazardous liquid imploded, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 in Longview, Wash. (Longview" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="135310" data-entity-type="organization">City of Longview via AP) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] Longview, Wash. (AP) — Crews were set to resume searching Wednesday for nine workers at a Washington paper mill where a tank imploded, releasing a highly destructive chemical mixture called “white liquor” and causing at least one confirmed death. Authorities said there was no hope of finding more survivors of Tuesday’s tank implosion at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. in Longview, which also injured nine other people, including a responding firefighter. But before any bodies of the missing can be recovered, crews on Wednesday must first stabilize the tank, which was at risk of collapsing further and leaking more of the caustic liquid. The implosion caused the huge circular tank to buckle and collapse on one side, and officials said they would only work during daylight because of the dangers. While the cause remains unknown, authorities said there was no threat to the community, a Columbia River city of about 40,000 people with long ties to the Washington and Oregon paper and lumber industries. It was the second notable chemical tank failure in days on the West Coast, following the evacuation of thousands of Southern California residents due to a damaged tank at an aerospace plant before those orders were lifted Tuesday night. 1 MIN READ 1 MIN READ 1 MIN READ The paper mill tank was holding about 900,000 gallons (3.4 million liters) of a liquid made of mostly sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide. Known as white liquor, it is used with heat to break down wood to make kraft paper, a durable material used in packaging, shopping bags and other products. The sprawling plant, which employs about 1,000 people, makes material for tissues, printing paper, cups, plates, and cartons. It sits along the river next to other timber, paper and chemical businesses.At a community vigil Tuesday night, dozens gathered to pray, light candles and embrace loved ones.Crystal Moldenhauer, a Longview resident, said she has friends at the plant who remained unaccounted for. She said people called and texted each other all day trying to figure out what happened. “We’re all still waiting for answers,” she said. “There’s families that have been torn apart, and we don’t know why.”The cause of the implosion remained unclear. Scott Goldstein, a fire chief with Cowlitz County, said Tuesday night that the tank still held about 90,000 gallons (more than 340,000 liters) of the volatile liquid. “We don’t know until we know, hopefully tomorrow, how we can stabilize the tank. Do we remove the product first? Do we stabilize the tank first or the vice versa?” Goldstein said.Hours after the disaster, officials repeatedly referred to the situation as a recovery effort.Some of those who were injured suffered burns or inhalation injuries, authorities said. Following the tank’s rupture, the liquid spilled into a drainage ditch, said Brittny Goodsell, a state Ecology Department spokesperson. “I know there’s a lot of questions about how all of this happened and I want to assure you that we will all continue to pressure to get answers to those questions,” Murray said. Safety complaints were filed against Nippon Dynawave in March and May. The state’s labor and industries department said on X that both were unrelated to the current situation. One was an anonymous complaint about a valve on a tank, according to the department, which noted that it was not the tank that imploded. Nippon Dynawave, a subsidiary of Japan-based Nippon Paper Group, has been fined $3,400 for three separate health and safety violations found by Washington Department of Labor and Industries inspectors since the start of 2021, according to the department’s online database.Just over 40 people died between January 2021 and mid-October 2023 as a result of hazardous chemical incidents in the U.S., according to a paper released by a network of environmental justice organizations in late 2023.Boone reported from Boise, Idaho. Associated Press reporters Gene Johnson and Hallie Golden in Seattle and Christopher L. Keller in Albuquerque, New Mexico, contributed. Rush is an Associated Press reporter covering Oregon state government and general news in the Pacific Northwest more broadly. Boone is a correspondent who covers breaking news, the courts, accountability issues and more for The Associated Press. She is based in Boise, Idaho.