Cause of Death Revealed for 11 in Washington Chemical Tank Incident
Cause of death released for 11 victims – Officials have disclosed that all 11 fatalities from the recent chemical tank rupture at a pulp and paper mill in Washington state were due to chemical burns. The findings were announced Thursday following the release of autopsy reports. The accident occurred on May 26 at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility in Longview, a town situated approximately 50 miles northwest of Portland along the Washington-Oregon border.
A tank holding white liquor—a chemical compound used in paper production—exploded in a manner described by authorities as a violent blast, causing widespread damage to the site. This substance, composed of sodium hydroxide, sodium sulfide, and disodium carbonate, was stored in a 900,000-gallon container that was roughly two-thirds full at the time of the rupture.
Autopsy Findings Detail Causes of Fatality
The Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office conducted autopsies on 10 of the victims. Eight individuals succumbed to alkaline chemical burns, as stated by the office: Jared Ammons (35), Norman Barlow (58), Gilberto Bernal (52), Bradley Covington (27), Tyler Covington (29), Clinton Doran (26), John Forsberg (51), and Dale Miller (54). Two other victims, Robert Wilson (48) and Braydon Finkas (38), faced additional complications—Wilson died from a combination of chemical burns and blunt force trauma, while Finkas succumbed to burns and “asphyxia due to aspiration of foreign object.”
“This horrific tragedy is one of the most significant the community has seen since the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980,” said Cowlitz County Coroner Dana Tucker.
One of the deceased, Dillon Miller (27), was taken to a Portland hospital but later passed away from his injuries. The Multnomah County Medical Examiner confirmed his cause of death as sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide burns, aligning with the other victims’ diagnoses.
Investigation Into Safety Violations Underway
Authorities have ruled the manner of death for all victims as accidental. State and federal agencies are now examining the incident to determine its origins and prevent future occurrences. The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries is also investigating potential workplace safety lapses, with the process projected to span several months.
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