A chemical tank failure at a paper mill in Washington state this past week has struck at the heart of a historic mill town. Longview was founded by a timber baron about a century ago, and generations of families have worked in local mills. On Tuesday morning, a tank containing more than 500,000 gallons of a highly destructive chemical mixture used in paper manufacturing collapsed. It is one of the deadliest U.S. workplace accidents in recent decades. Eleven people died, including two whose bodies have yet to be recovered. Many Longview residents who spoke with The Associated Press had family or friends who currently or previously worked at the plant.

Crews are resuming the search for nine people presumed killed at a Washington state paper mill where a chemical tank ruptured. It's likely to be one of the deadliest U.S. workplace accidents in years. Authorities on Wednesday said the presumed death toll rose to 11 after a second person died. Authorities says there's no hope of finding more survivors following Tuesday’s tank failure at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. in Longview. Some contamination made its way into the nearby Columbia River. Authorities say the tank failure hasn't impacted the region's air or drinking water, but testing is ongoing.

Authorities have confirmed that one person died and 9 others remain unaccounted for after a chemical tank imploded at a pulp and paper mill in Washington state. They say there is no hope to rescue those missing. Nine others were injured in Tuesday morning's spill, some severely. Emergency responders plan to resume recovery efforts at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. in Longview on Wednesday morning. Authorities say those efforts are being hampered by the danger posed by 90,000 gallons of the dangerous liquid that remain in the unstable tank.