Gov. Bob Ferguson said Friday flags will be flown at half-staff beginning May 31.
LONGVIEW, Wash. — Flags across Washington state will be lowered to half-staff for a week beginning May 31 to honor those killed in the disaster at Longview’s Nippon Dynawave facility.
Gov. Bob Ferguson issued a directive Friday ordering all flags to be lowered beginning May 31 and remain at half-staff through June 7.
“I am deeply saddened by the recent industrial tragedy that occurred at the Nippon Dynawave facility,” Ferguson said. “This mass casualty event has devastated Washington state. We grieve with the Longview community and the impacted families.”
On May 26, an approximately 600,000-gallon chemical tank storing white liquor — a mixture of sodium hydroxide, sodium sulfide and disodium carbonate used in the papermaking process — imploded around 7:15 a.m., though officials are still working to determine the cause.
So far, eight people have been confirmed dead, while officials continue working to recover the remains of three others presumed dead. Multiple victims have already been identified.
Cowlitz Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Goldstein said during a Tuesday night press conference that officials do not believe there are any survivors left to rescue. Search and recovery efforts are continuing this week.
KING 5’s Olivia Sullivan contributed to this report.
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