A chemical tank imploded at a Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility in Washington state, killing one person and injuring nine. Nine others remain unaccounted for as of Tuesday night.
The tank contained "white liquor," a sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide solution used in paper pulp production. The rupture occurred around 7:15 a.m. local time. Initially thought to hold 80,000 gallons, the tank actually contained nearly 900,000 gallons.
Recovery efforts are set to resume Wednesday as the tank remains unstable. Among the injured are eight employees and one firefighter, who was treated and released. Some injuries are critical.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson expressed condolences. Nippon Paper Industries acquired the plant in 2016 for $225 million. No Japanese employees were injured, according to the Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle.
