A fire at a packaging company in the north-western United States has claimed lives, local authorities said on Tuesday.
The Longview Fire Department, in a joint statement with Nippon Dynawave Packaging and local authorities, confirmed "fatalities related to the incident" as well as "multiple critical injuries."
The exact number of casualties was not given. The full extent of the incident in Longview, near Washington State's border with Oregon, is also still unclear.
Emergency crews responded "following the rupture of a tank containing white liquor" on Tuesday morning, the joint statement said. "At this time, officials state there is no immediate threat to the surrounding community," it added.
The company manufactures cardboard boxes for liquids.
Cowlitz Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Goldstein spoke of an "unknown number of fatalities" and confirmed that 10 people, including a firefighter, were hurt. He said they sustained a "wide range of injuries" ranging from critical and severe to minor.
Goldstein said the ruptured tank had a capacity of about 80,000 gallons [300,00 litres] and was about 60% full.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson expressed his condolences to those affected on the online platform X.
"I'm deeply saddened to hear that there have been fatalities," Ferguson said. "My thoughts are with the workers and their families, and with the first responders."
