Following the deadly implosion at Nippon Dynawave, emergency crews are working to manage contaminated water.
LONGVIEW, Wash. — Emergency crews are working to flush contaminated water through Longview’s ditch system following the deadly implosion at the Nippon Dynawave paper mill that killed two people and left nine others still missing.
Officials said water affected by the release of corrosive white liquor is being moved away from residential areas and the city’s drinking water supply before being diluted and discharged into the Columbia River. The operation is being overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Washington Department of Ecology.
Officials are pumping water from the Cowlitz River and Highlands neighborhood fire hydrants into the ditch system while operating the Reynolds Pumping Station, which empties into the Columbia River. Continuous pH monitoring is underway at the pumping station to ensure contaminated water does not reach unsafe levels before entering the river.
Authorities said the dilution process is intended to lower contamination levels enough to reduce the likelihood of environmental damage. If testing shows the effort is not working, pumping operations will stop while crews take additional steps to lower pH levels before resuming.
Officials said there are currently no concerns about impacts to local drinking water supplies, but warned that prolonged contamination in the ditch system could increase the risk of pollutants reaching the underlying aquifer.
The industrial accident happened around 7:15 a.m. Tuesday during a shift change at the mill, according to Scott Goldstein, fire chief for Cowlitz Fire and Rescue. The implosion damaged administrative offices, a break room and operational areas inside the facility.
The Longview Fire Department said Wednesday that a second person injured in the incident died at a hospital. PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center said it evaluated nine patients on Tuesday. Patients’ injuries included chemical skin burns, and eye and airway irritation.
Four people were transferred to other regional hospitals, one patient died and four other people were discharged, according to PeaceHealth.
Rescue crews transitioned to recovery operations Wednesday morning after structural concerns involving the damaged tank delayed access to the site, Goldstein said.
Officials initially believed the tank contained about 900,000 gallons of white liquor, a highly corrosive substance used in the paper-making process, but later revised the estimate to roughly 600,000 gallons. Authorities also reduced the estimated amount remaining in the tank from 90,000 gallons to about 25,000 gallons.
Testing confirmed contamination from the spill reached the Columbia River, though officials said they were still determining the extent of the environmental impact. Gov. Bob Ferguson said crews had removed about a dozen dead carp from a nearby dike.
Environmental monitoring continues around the site, with fixed and portable systems checking air and water quality. Officials said there have been no reported impacts to Longview’s air quality or drinking water system.
Residents were again urged to avoid ditches and dikes near Washington Way and Prudential Boulevard because of possible contamination.
To ensure diverse coverage and expert insight across a wide range of topics, our publication features contributions from multiple staff writers with varied areas of expertise.
