Hope fades for nine missing after paper mill tank implosion in Washington state

Crews were set to resume searching on Wednesday for nine workers at a Washington state paper mill where a tank imploded, but authorities said there was no hope of finding any more survivors. One person was confirmed dead and nine people were reported injured on Tuesday after a tank at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co in Longview imploded, releasing a highly destructive chemical mixture called “white liquor”. But nine other workers remained missing. Before any bodies of the missing can be recovered, crews must first stabilize the tank, which was at risk of collapsing further and leaking more of the caustic liquid. Officials said they would only work during daylight because of the dangers. While the cause remained unknown, authorities said there was no threat to the community, a Columbia River city of about 40,000 people with long ties to the Washington and Oregon paper and lumber industries. It was the second notable chemical tank failure in days on the west coast, following the evacuation of thousands of southern California residents due to a damaged tank at an aerospace plant. The sprawling Longview plant, which employs about 1,000 people, makes material for tissues, printing paper, cups, plates and cartons. The facility sits right along the river next to other timber, paper and chemical businesses. The paper mill tank was holding about 900,000 gallons (3.4m liters) of a liquid made of mostly sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide. …