Authorities reported this Saturday that the bodies of the nine employees who remained missing since the accident that occurred on Tuesday at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging plant, located in Longview, Washington, were recovered.

With this discovery, the total number of deaths rose to 11 workers.

Two employees had been taken alive to hospitals shortly after the incident, but later died from their injuries, according to ABC News.

“I hope that today gives affected families the closure they need to begin the long healing process,” Brad Hannig stated during a press conference.

One of the worst industrial tragedies in the state

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson previously warned that the accident could become the deadliest industrial tragedy in the state's modern history.

For her part, Cowlitz County Coroner Dana Tucker identified the victims and noted that their ages ranged from 26 to 58 years old.

During a public appearance, Tucker compared the emotional impact of the disaster to some of the most difficult times experienced by the community since the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980.

Emergency crews faced extremely dangerous conditions during the search efforts.

According to Matt Amos, six of the victims were found in an area where workers used to gather during shift changes.

The seventh body was later located when teams managed to advance towards areas most affected by the collapse.

Operations continued for several days due to structural instability and the presence of hazardous materials at the site.

“We continue to work very slowly to maintain security and preserve evidence necessary for future investigations,” Amos said.

What happened at the plant

The emergency was reported Tuesday morning when a tank containing “white liquor,” a chemical mixture used in paper manufacturing, suffered a catastrophic rupture.

According to Brian Wood, the sudden release of the material generated enough force to destroy several walls of nearby buildings and cause serious damage to equipment and facilities.

The exact cause of the rupture remains under investigation.

Federal and state investigations underway

The investigation involves multiple organizations.

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board announced the opening of an investigation to determine the causes of the accident and establish measures to avoid similar tragedies in the future.

Likewise, the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries is developing a parallel investigation into the safety conditions at the plant.

Environmental concerns persist

Authorities confirmed that some of the contaminated material reached the nearby Columbia River, although they assured that Longview's drinking water supply is not at risk.

As Chris Collins explained, the containment systems allowed contaminated water to be diverted away from the sources that supply the city.

While investigations continue, the plant remains closed and operates with only minimal staff to maintain the critical infrastructure of the industrial complex.

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