Officials on Saturday said they have recovered all of the nine workers from the site of Tuesday’s Nippon Dynaware implosion, where 11 people lost their lives.
All remains of the nine missing victims have now been recovered from the site of Tuesday’s disastrous chemical tank rupture at the Nippon Dynawave paper mill in Longview, officials said Saturday.
In total, 11 people have died, accounting to the Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office.
Speaking at a news conference, Cowlitz County Coroner Dana Tucker confirmed that all nine people have been recovered and identified, while two people were transported to hospitals. One, Dillon Miller, was transported to a Portland hospital, so Tucker could not give more information, citing that information was out of her jurisdiction.
Tucker said the agency has identified Gilbert Bernal, 52, of Kelso; Tyler Covington, 29, of Castle Rock; Brad Covington, 27, of Castle Rock; Robert Wilson, 48, of Clatskanie; Dale Miller, 54, of Portland; Jared Ammons, 35, of Longview; Braydon Finkas, 38, of Cathlamet; Clinton Duran, 26, of Kelso; John Forsberg, 51, of Longview; Norman Barlow, 58, of Vancouver; and Dillon Miller.
Tucker called the May 26 incident as “one of the most significant tragedies our community has experienced since the eruption of Mount Saint Helens.”
Deputy Chief Kurt Stich of Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue said crews had been working in indoor areas littered with desks, large cabinets and debris, calling the process “physically laborious” due to crews, having to move several heavy items. They also had to continuously inspect the area, both physically and via drone flyovers to ensure they did not miss anything.
“This work has been intense. It’s been methodical and incredibly difficult for everyone that’s been involved,” Stich said.
Scott Tift, president of the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers (AWPPW) union, focused on the disaster’s emotional toll, saying, “The loss and heartbreak being experienced right now extends far beyond this facility and far beyond this community.”
“These were not just employees or union members — they were fathers, sons, friends, mentors and coworkers who helped build this facility and this community every single day,” he continued.
He also acknowledged the vast outpouring of love and support from the community and beyond, which was deeply meaningful to the victims and their families during the darkest moments of their lives. Donations can be sent directly via www.cwCLC.org.
Tift referenced the long and heartbreaking process of recovering the bodies but stressed that recovery efforts had to be “done carefully, methodically and safely,” as well as preserve the scene’s integrity in order for investigators to determine exactly what happened. AWPPW is continuing to work with local, state and federal agencies during the investigation.
‘THIS STUFF CAN EAT YOUR SKIN’: ‘This stuff can eat your skin’
Brooks Stanfield of the EPA and Courtney Serad with the Washington State Department of Ecology briefly went over the impacts to wildfire, saying that they have seen dead fish, mostly carp, in the ditches and canal network steadily increasing and that people should continue to report impacts to 1-800-22-BIRDS, which is being monitored by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Most of the dead fish being collected are closer to the ditches, Serad said.
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