Several people were either hurt or killed in a rupture of a chemical tank at a pulp and paper plant in Washington state.
Update 3:08 p.m. ET, May 27: A second person has died from injuries as a result of Tuesday’s tank rupture, The Associated Press reported.
Officials said they still plan to search for the nine people who are missing and presumed dead.
Update 7:20 a.m. ET, May 27: One person was confirmed dead and nine others were unaccounted for, with what The Associated Press said was “no hope for rescue.”
Nine others were hurt in the incident with injuries ranging from minor to critical. Some people had burns while others had inhalation injuries. One person injured was a firefighter who responded to the site. The firefighter was treated and released, CNN reported.
The cause of the rupture has not been pinpointed.
The tank held nearly a million gallons of a highly corrosive liquid when it burst and collapsed on Tuesday.
Emergency crews will work on Wednesday to stabilize the tank, which still has about 90,000 gallons of “white liquor.” After that work is completed, the search for the missing victims will continue.
The chemical mixture is used in the paper-making process, CNN reported. It breaks down wood chips and can cause second- or third-degree burns if it comes in contact with skin.
Officials said there was no threat to the public, the AP reported. Still, people are being told to avoid the area, according to CNN.
Original report: Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. and local law enforcement released a joint statement on Facebook Tuesday afternoon saying that a tank rupture caused “multiple critical injuries” and fatalities. But the initial statement did not disclose how many people were hurt or killed, The Associated Press reported.
The incident happened at the pulp and paper mill in Longview, Washington.
Earlier, the AP said that several people had chemical burns and inhalation injuries.
The Longview fire department’s battalion chief, Mike Gorsuch, called it a “mass casualty scene” and said that first responders had to decontaminate patients before taking them to hospitals in Longview and Vancouver, Washington, the AP reported.
The company makes materials for tissues, printing paper, cups, plates, cartons and other items. It has about 1,000 employees between the pulp and paper mill and the liquid packaging plant, the Washington State Department of Ecology said.
Officials said there is no immediate threat to the surrounding community.
Check back for more on this developing story.
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