US authorities have recovered six more bodies following a chemical leak at a paper plant in Washington state, bringing the total confirmed death toll to eight, reports AFP.
An official said that three more people remain missing after the incident.
A large tank containing tens of thousands of gallons of a highly caustic chemical collapsed on Tuesday at a facility in Longview, Washington, triggering a major rescue and recovery operation.
Initial reports confirmed two deaths, while rescuers later ruled out any chance of finding survivors as the operation shifted to recovering bodies.
Longview Fire Department Chief Brad Hannig told a news conference that six additional bodies had been recovered.
“We continue working with the coroner to notify families,” he said.
He added that recovery efforts are being carried out in an “active and hazardous environment” as teams search for the remaining victims.
The accident occurred at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company during an early morning shift change when a 900,000-gallon tank containing a highly alkaline substance known as white liquor ruptured.
White liquor, a mixture of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide, is used in the paper production process to break down wood chips into pulp.
Officials sought to reassure residents that neither drinking water nor air in the surrounding area had been contaminated.
“Longview’s water is safe,” said Chris Collins, the city’s public works director.
An Environmental Protection Agency official, Brooks Stanfield, said air monitoring had not detected hydrogen sulfide or other harmful contaminants.
Nippon Dynawave Packaging, a subsidiary of Japan’s Nippon Paper Group, produces billions of single-serve containers annually for markets in North America, Asia and other regions.
Bd-Pratidin English/ AM
