The death toll from a chemical tank failure at a Washington packaging plant has reached 11, after search crews recovered all nine people who had been missing since the initial incident, authorities confirmed Saturday.
The tank, which held white liquor used in paper pulp production, ruptured at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility on Tuesday. Two deaths had been confirmed in the immediate aftermath of the collapse.
The white liquor solution contained sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide, chemicals essential to the pulping process. The tank's sudden implosion triggered the emergency response that would ultimately result in the tragic loss of life.
Recovery efforts continued throughout the week as rescue teams worked to locate and retrieve the missing workers. By Saturday, all nine had been accounted for, bringing the confirmed fatality count to double digits.
The facility has not yet resumed operations as investigators work to determine the exact cause of the tank failure.
Author James Rodriguez: "This is a stark reminder of the hazards industrial workers face daily, and the speed with which a single equipment failure can become catastrophic."
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