Authorities in the U.S. state of Washington have confirmed that all workers reported missing after a devastating explosion at a paper manufacturing plant have been found dead, bringing the total death toll to 11.
The incident occurred last week at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company facility in the city of Longview, where a chemical storage tank exploded, triggering widespread destruction across the industrial site.
According to fire department officials, the explosion took place during a shift change when many employees were gathered in a break room, contributing to the high number of casualties.
Rescue teams said search and recovery operations were particularly challenging due to the presence of hazardous chemicals released at the scene. After carefully securing the area and conducting a systematic search, responders were able to locate all of the missing workers.
The Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office has identified the victims, whose ages ranged from 26 to 58.
Experts have described the tragedy as one of the most serious industrial accidents to strike Washington state in recent years. Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the exact cause of the explosion.
Source: USA Today.