Authorities say a second person has died after a chemical tank exploded at a US paper mill

Crews are expected to begin Wednesday a search for nine workers at a Washington paper mill where a tank ruptured, releasing a corrosive chemical called “white liquor” and causing at least two confirmed deaths.

Authorities said there was no hope of finding any survivors from Tuesday's tank explosion at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. in Longview, Wash., which also injured eight other people, including a firefighter who responded.

But before any bodies can be recovered, crews on Wednesday must first shore up the tank, which was in danger of collapsing and leaking large amounts of liquid.

The explosion of a large circular tank was jammed and collapsed on the other side, and officials said they would only work during the day due to accidents. Although the cause is unknown, authorities said there is no threat to the community, a Columbia River city of about 40,000 people with long ties to the paper and lumber industries of Washington and Oregon.

The paper mill tank held about 3.4 million liters of liquid made up mainly of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide. Known as white liquor, it is used to burn wood to make kraft paper, a durable material used for packaging, shopping bags and other products.

This sprawling facility, which employs about 1,000 people, makes tissue, printing papers, cups, plates and boxes. It sits along the river near other lumber, paper and chemical businesses.

Authorities have not yet released the names of the two people who are confirmed dead or missing, but other names have begun to emerge.

Todd Cornwell said his friend, Gilbert Bernal, was an electrician at the plant and was the first confirmed fatality. They know each other at church and are in the same Bible study group, he said.

“We actually had our group last night and instead of doing a Bible study, we talked about him,” Cornwell said.

“He was always willing to help with whatever needed to be done. When the local church school started to fill up, he was one of the people there.”

'It just doesn't make sense'

Brian Williquette, a chemical supplier to mills in the region, was at the plant Tuesday morning when he heard an alarm on the intercom and at first wondered if it was a drill. He managed to get out safely and saw no damage.

“It's a mystery,” he said at a public vigil on Tuesday. “There's not a person who lives here who doesn't know someone in the paper mill.”

Crystal Moldenhauer, a Longview resident, said she has friends in the industry whose whereabouts are unknown. He said people have been calling and texting each other all day trying to find out what happened.

“We are all still waiting for answers,” he said. “There are families that are divided, we don't know why.

The reason for the arrest was not yet clear.

Nippon Paper Group said in a statement on Wednesday that it expresses its condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families.

Scott Goldstein, the Cowlitz County fire chief, said Tuesday night that the tank was still holding more than 340,000 gallons of volatile liquid.

“We don't know until we know, hopefully tomorrow, how to stop the tank. Do we remove the product first? Do we tighten the tank first or vice versa?” Goldstein said.

In the hours after the disaster, officials repeatedly referred to the situation as an effort to fix it.