Exact number unclear Fatalities after accident at packaging company in the USA
According to the authorities, people have died in an accident on the premises of a packaging company in the northwest of the USA.
27.05.2026, 04:18
27.05.2026, 07:41
SDA
The fire department in the US state of Washington announced on Facebook in a statement with the company and local authorities that there were fatalities and injuries. An exact number was not given. The exact extent of the incident is also still unclear.
Emergency services went to the company in the small town of Longview on Tuesday morning (local time) after a tank there was damaged, the statement added. There is currently no immediate danger to the population. The company manufactures cartons for liquids.
Fire department: Wide range of injuries
According to the fire department, ten people were transported from the scene. One of them was a firefighter, nine were employees of the company, said fire chief Scott Goldstein. "The spectrum of injuries ranged from life-threatening and serious to minor," Goldstein said when asked by journalists. Goldstein has not yet commented on the number or identity of the fatalities. The fire department wanted to present an updated report to journalists in the evening (local time).
The governor of the state, Bob Ferguson, expressed his condolences to those affected on the online platform X. "My thoughts are with the workers and their families, as well as the first responders," wrote Ferguson. Teams from the Ministry of the Environment and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are on site, and the National Guard has also been put on alert.
Another risk of explosion in California
In recent days, the threat of a chemical tank explosion had already terrified people in southern California. Tens of thousands of residents had to leave their homes due to the risk of an explosion involving a highly flammable chemical. Almost all evacuees have now been allowed to return to their homes. However, the fire department has not yet given the all-clear.
