No chemical spill at Nippon, after empty sulfuric acid tank reported overturned

A medical unit was called just before 8 a.m. Wednesday to Nippon Dynawave, the Industrial Way pulp and paper mill where a May 26 chemical spill killed 11 workers.

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An unrelated empty sulfuric acid tank also tipped over at the Longview plant along the Columbia River, according to a recording of the police scanner early Wednesday.

Just before 10 a.m., Longview Fire Department reported no spill was found at the mill and the area was confirmed safe.

The patient was sent to Longview's PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center, but that person's condition and the reason for the transport were not listed.

Staff evacuated

Though the tank was reported empty, first responders noted an odor, an irritant, when they arrived on site, according to the scanner, and advised fellow responders to come to the site at 3401 Industrial Way up wind for precaution.

Responders said the tipped over tank was unrelated to the medical need, the latter of which was not described on the scanner.

All personnel were accounted for and evacuated, a responder said.

Earlier, Washington State Department of Ecology spokesperson Anna Izenman called the Wednesday morning incident a "chemical spill," unrelated to the May 26 failed white liquor tank or any other operation with that spill.

"There is no risk to the public," she said.

At about 8:15 a.m., a responder said on the scanner that "the incident is contained to a 300-foot radius at the site."

"There is no further spread of the incident," he said.

The chemicals

The White liquor that spilled in May was comprised of sodium hydroxide, sodium sulfide and sodium carbonate, and converts wood into pulp through the kraft process.

Officials report that tank could hold up to 900,000 gallons, and was roughly two-thirds full at the time it failed at about 7:18 a.m. May 26.

All of the 11 workers killed, died as a result of burns from the chemicals.

Sulfuric acid, which first responders suspected may had spilled Wednesday morning, can be used to lower the pH of pulp slurry, as well as to clean equipment, according to industry reports.

Nippon predominantly manufactures paperboard used to make paper cups and milk cartons.

Editor's note: This is a developing story and will be updated throughout the day.

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