An undated photo of Gilbert Bernal with his wife Maria and grandson Jameson provided by his daughter Geovana who said he died in the chemical tank rupture in Washington state on May 26, 2026. (Courtesy of Geovana Bernal)
Geovana Bernal told ABC News that her father, Gilbert Bernal, died in Tuesday morning’s incident at his workplace, Nippon Dynawave Packaging in Longview, Washington.
At least one person was killed, multiple people suffered critical injuries and nine employees remain missing, officials said. The ongoing recovery efforts are “extremely complex” due to the unstable tank, which contains white liquor, a chemical mixture used in the paper-making process, according to authorities.
Geovana Bernal said in a statement, “There are not enough words to express on how devastated we are right now.”
“My father was the most selfless man I knew. He worked hard to provide for his family and he loved us so much,” she said. “He was going to celebrate his 32nd wedding anniversary with mom in just a couple weeks and he loved my son, his first grandson, so much.”
She said Gilbert Bernal often helped out at his church, “volunteering his time to help repairs or help anyone in need.”
“He was a great man, husband, father, grandfather, son, brother and friend,” Geovana Bernal said. “We are so heartbroken.”
The coroner’s office has not released the identity of the confirmed fatality, but Geovana Bernal said her brother viewed images of her father and confirmed his death after speaking with the coroner’s office.
(LONGVIEW, Wash.) — A chemical tank ruptured at a facility in Washington state, resulting in multiple critical injuries and an unknown number of fatalities, authorities said.
The “hazardous materials incident” was reported Tuesday morning at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging, a pulp and paper mill in Longview, fire authorities said.
A tank containing white liquor ruptured at approximately 7:15 a.m., according to a joint statement from local authorities and Nippon Dynawave Packaging.
Authorities initially referred to the incident as a chemical explosion and then an implosion, before referring to it as a rupture.
“The incident is stable, but is in the recovery phase,” Longview Fire Battalion Chief Mike Gorsuch said during a press briefing Tuesday, calling it “tragic.”
“Recovery efforts remain underway at the facility,” he said.
The number of fatalities is undetermined at this time, Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue Chief Scott Goldstein said during the press briefing.
A number of personnel are missing, Goldstein said, declining to confirm how many.
Nine people at the facility suffered injuries, including chemical burns, and were transported by ambulance to area hospitals, authorities said. The injuries ranged from critical to minor, according to Goldstein.
One firefighter was also injured in the incident and has since been treated and released from a nearby hospital, according to Gorsuch.
Patients with traumatic injuries are being treated at nearby medical facilities, while patients experiencing burns and exposure are being sent to other hospitals around the area, including in Portland, which are considered burn centers, Rick Graves, the spokesperson for Portland Fire and Rescue in Oregon, told ABC News.
PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview told ABC News it received nine patients from the incident — including one deceased. Six are in fair condition, and two other patients have been transferred, it said.
Legacy Health confirmed to ABC News it is treating patients in the incident, including at the Legacy Oregon Burn Center in Portland, though did not go into further detail.
Information on those killed and injured in the incident is being held pending next-of-kin notifications, authorities said.
The 80,000-gallon tank was about 60% full at the time of the rupture, according to Goldstein. White liquor is a chemical mixture of sodium hydroxide, sodium sulfide and disodium carbonate used in the paper-making process, he said.
The cause of the rupture is unknown at this time, Goldstein said.
“We’re dealing with life safety concerns and incident stabilization at this point,” he said. “That will come in the hours and days to come.”
There is no immediate threat to the public, authorities said.
“The scene remains in the recovery phase as emergency responders continue operations,” the joint statement said. “Responding agencies continue coordinating closely with facility personnel and partner agencies as the investigation and recovery efforts continue.”
Residents were urged to avoid the area amid the active emergency response.
The Nippon facility is located on the Washington-Oregon border near the Columbia River. The kraft pulp and paper mill and liquid packaging plant employs nearly 1,000 people, according to the Washington Department of Ecology.
ABC News’ Trevor Ault and Alyssa Pone contributed to this report.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(LONGVIEW, Wash.) — Multiple people were injured in a chemical vat implosion at a facility in Washington state, authorities said.
The incident was reported Tuesday morning at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company in Longview, fire authorities said.
The “hazardous materials incident” occurred at approximately 7:18 a.m., the Longview Fire Department said. The implosion involved a vat of chemical treatment product, it said. Authorities initially referred to the incident as a chemical explosion.
Multiple people suffered injuries, including chemical burns, and were transported by ambulance to area hospitals, the fire department said. The extent of their injuries is unclear, it said.
“Fire crews and a Hazardous Materials Team remain on scene working with Nippon Dynawave employees to mitigate the product and container involved,” the Longview Fire Department said in an alert on social media.
There is no immediate threat to the public, authorities said.
Residents were urged to avoid the area amid the active emergency response.
The Nippon facility is located on the Washington-Oregon border near the Columbia River. It is a kraft pulp and paper mill and liquid packaging plant, according to the Washington Department of Ecology.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
U.S. President Donald Trump returns to the White House following a visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Oct. 10, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump visited Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Tuesday for his “annual dental and medical evaluations,” as announced by the White House earlier this month. A White House official confirmed Tuesday’s visit to ABC News.
“Just finished my 6 month physical at Walter Reed Military Medical Center. Everything checked out PERFECTLY,” the president wrote on his social media platform. “Thank you to the great Doctors and Staff!”
The visit took about three-and-a-half hours, a White House official told reporters, adding that details regarding the visit could be expected “in the next day or so.”
The White House said prior to the appointment that it would consist of “routine annual dental and medical assessments.” The visit was Trump’s third scheduled medical appointment at Walter Reed in 13 months.
Trump will soon celebrate his 80th birthday.
The president underwent a physical examination at Walter Reed in April 2025. In a memo detailing the findings of the physical, Trump’s physician – U.S. Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella – concluded that Trump was in “excellent health” and “fully fit” to serve as president.
The president also visited the dentist in Florida in January and in May.
“President Trump is the sharpest and most accessible president in American history who is working nonstop to solve problems and deliver on his promises, and he remains in excellent health,” a White House spokesperson said in a statement to ABC News.
Trump has frequently been photographed with bruises on his hand, which he attributed to frequent aspirin intake during an interview with The Wall Street Journal published in January. In December 2025, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the bruising on Trump’s hand was caused by frequent handshakes.
A rash also appeared on the right side of Trump’s neck earlier this year, which the White House said was due to a “preventative skin cream treatment” that he was using for “one week,” causing redness that was “expected to last for a few weeks.”
Trump told the WSJ that he received a CT scan last October, though he initially referred to the test seemingly incorrectly as as an MRI exam. Barbabella said the CT scan was done “to definitively rule out any cardiovascular issues” and showed no abnormalities.
Last summer, Trump was diagnosed with a chronic venous insufficiency after appearing with swollen ankles and legs. This is a “benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70,” Leavitt said at the time.
Over the past year, Trump appears to have fallen asleep during events, though he has denied experiencing any difficulty staying awake. During a Cabinet meeting in January, Trump said the press simply caught him “in a blink” and that he closed his eyes because the event was boring.
Trump has made a point to repeatedly proclaim “perfect” health and mental sharpness. On Friday, Trump again said he took multiple cognitive tests that he “aced.” The president has also frequently demanded that his opponents take cognitive tests.
Earlier this month, Trump said he feels the same as he did 50 years ago, though he noted that “someday, there’ll be a day when that won’t happen.”
ABC News’ Meg Mistry, Karen Travers and Mariam Khan contributed to this report.
Author James Comey, former FBI Director, speaks at the Barnes & Noble Upper West Side on May 19, 2025 in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — A federal judge on Tuesday granted former FBI Director James Comey’s request to delay his criminal trial for allegedly threatening to kill President Donald Trump by posting a photo of seashells.
U.S. District Judge Louise Wood Flanagan scheduled the trial to begin on Oct. 21.
The former FBI director’s arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 30.
Prosecutors did not object to the request to delay the proceedings.
Comey was charged with threatening to kill Trump by posting a photo on Instagram of seashells on a beach arranged in the numbers “86 47.” Citing the slang meaning of “86” as to “nix” or “get rid” of something, allies of the president allege that the post was a veiled threat against Trump, who is the 47th president.
Following backlash over the post, Comey removed the photo from Instagram and said he was unaware that the post could be associated with violence.
Critics of Trump say the indictment is another effort by the administration to punish the president’s perceived enemies after a judge last year threw out an indictment against Comey on unrelated charges.
“Well, they’re back. This time about a picture of seashells on a North Carolina Beach a year ago,” Comey said in a video posted online after the seashell indictment was unsealed. “And this won’t be the end of it, but nothing has changed with me. I’m still innocent, I’m still not afraid, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary, so let’s go.”
At a press conference announcing the charges last month, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche argued that Comey’s post crossed the line between First Amendment-protected speech and speech that warrants prosecution.
“It’s not a very difficult line to look at, and it’s not, in my mind, a difficult line for one to cross over, one way or the other,” Blanche said. “We cannot, you are not allowed to threaten the President of the United States of America. That’s not my decision. That’s Congress’s decision, and a statute that they passed that we charge multiple times a year.”
U.S. President Donald Trump returns to the White House following a visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on October 10, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump is expected to visit Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Tuesday for his “annual dental and medical evaluations,” as announced by the White House earlier this month. A White House official confirmed Tuesday’s visit to ABC News.
The White House said the appointment will consist of “routine annual dental and medical assessments.” The visit will be Trump’s third scheduled medical appointment at Walter Reed in 13 months.
Trump will soon celebrate his 80th birthday.
The president underwent a physical examination at Walter Reed in April 2025. In a memo detailing the findings of the physical, Trump’s physician – U.S. Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella – concluded that Trump was in “excellent health” and “fully fit” to serve as president.
The president also visited the dentist in Florida in January and in May.
Trump has frequently been photographed with bruises on his hand, which he attributed to frequent aspirin intake during an interview with The Wall Street Journal published in January. In December 2025, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the bruising on Trump’s hand was caused by frequent handshakes.
A rash also appeared on the right side of Trump’s neck earlier this year, which the White House said was due to a “preventative skin cream treatment” that he was using for “one week,” causing redness that was “expected to last for a few weeks.”
Trump told the WSJ that he received a CT scan last October, though he initially referred to the test seemingly incorrectly as as an MRI exam. Barbabella said the CT scan was done “to definitively rule out any cardiovascular issues” and showed no abnormalities.
Last summer, Trump was diagnosed with a chronic venous insufficiency after appearing with swollen ankles and legs. This is a “benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70,” Leavitt said at the time.
Over the past year, Trump appears to have fallen asleep during events, though he has denied experiencing any difficulty staying awake. During a Cabinet meeting in January, Trump said the press simply caught him “in a blink” and that he closed his eyes because the event was boring.
Trump has made a point to repeatedly proclaim “perfect” health and mental sharpness. On Friday, Trump again said he took multiple cognitive tests that he “aced.” The president has also frequently demanded that his opponents take cognitive tests.
Earlier this month, Trump said he feels the same as he did 50 years ago, though he noted that “someday, there’ll be a day when that won’t happen.”
ABC News’ Meg Mistry, Karen Travers and Mariam Khan contributed to this report.
An emergency hazmat incident at an aerospace facility in Garden Grove, California, has prompted evacuations in the area, May 22, 2026. (KABC)
(LOS ANGELES) — The evacuation zone around a failing chemical tank in Southern California is shrinking after officials said the “worst-case scenario” of a catastrophic explosion has been averted.
About 16,000 people remain under evacuation orders, Garden Grove Police Chief Amir El-Farra said during a press briefing Monday evening. That’s down from 50,000 in the city of Garden Grove and several surrounding communities at the height of the crisis when officials thought they faced only two options: an explosion or a chemical spill.
“The most catastrophic and worst-case scenario was mitigated and resolved,” Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) Interim Chief TJ McGovern said during the evening press briefing.
Officials said earlier Monday the crisis is not fully averted, but if an explosion or leak were to occur, it would be significantly smaller than the initial worst-case scenario.
The tank is located at an aerospace facility in Garden Grove, about 30 miles south of Los Angeles.
Earlier Monday, local authorities said the temperature was declining within the chemical tank, located at an aerospace facility, eliminating concerns of an explosion, local authorities said on Monday morning.
“We are happy to report that the threat of a BLEVE [Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion] is now off the table,” McGovern said during an update. “That threat has been eliminated.”
Since the temperature inside the tank has decreased, it has allowed the chemical inside to solidify, but it is unclear how much, according to McGovern.
The situation began unfolding on Thursday, a chemical tank filled with toxic chemicals at GKN Aerospace, a manufacturing company that builds engines and landing gear for both commercial and military aircraft, was showing signs of overheating, which could cause it to overheat or spill, officials said.
The 34,000-gallon tank contained methyl methacrylate, an industrial chemical used in plastic manufacturing, according to the OCFA. The chemical is primarily a respiratory irritant. Short-term exposure can cause skin and eye irritation, as well as breathing problems, according to the EPA.
The “unprecedented” situation caused officials to order about 50,000 people in the vicinity to evacuate in case a leak sent toxic fumes wafting through the neighborhood or caused an explosion could result in a dangerous fireball.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a state of emergency in Orange County in response to the incident.
Authorities said a crack in the tank, discovered by firefighters late Saturday, relieved some of the pressure within the tank, Covey said.
While officials were confident that the crack wouldn’t lead to any chemical leaks, they continued to monitor air quality in the region.
Any areas outside of the roughly 10-square-mile evacuation zone “are currently considered completely safe and day-to-day activities can continue as normal,” the OCFA said in an update Sunday afternoon.
Within the zone are schools, hospitals, nursing homes, fire and law enforcement stations and critical infrastructure. Multiple roads were also closed in the area.
“We appreciate your support and the patience while we work through this incident together,” Covey said.
In a statement on Monday, GKN noted that its technical specialists worked with OCFA “to assess the storage tank more closely” on Sunday evening.
“The team safely and successfully removed external insulation material from the tank in order to help advance efforts to cool its contents,” the company said.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer, the top prosecutor in Garden Grove, has launched a criminal probe into the ongoing chemical tank incident at GKN Aerospace, ordering the company not to destroy or manipulate any records, his office said.
The probe seeks to determine how a major military and commercial aircraft gear manufacturer could have allowed such a toxic failure to occur, according to the district attorney.
“This is an incredibly volatile situation with extraordinary efforts being made by first responders to prevent a potentially catastrophic disaster,” Spitzer said in a statement on Monday.
Spitzer has also established an anonymous tip line and online reporting form, calling on anyone with information to come forward — including current and former employees of the company who might offer insight into the quality control and safety at the site.
“Given the very real risk to human life as a result of this event, it is crucial that anyone who has information about this incident or the industrial operations of GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems, Inc. come forward and report it so that it can be thoroughly investigated by law enforcement,” he said.
GKN declined to comment specifically on the district attorney’s investigation, but pointed to its Monday statement.
“We are continuing to work around the clock with the OCFA, the EPA and all relevant federal, state and local agencies to mitigate the ongoing risk of a leak. We remain extremely thankful for their dedication and hard work,” the company said.
“We apologize for the ongoing disruption this incident is causing and our priority remains its safe resolution, so that residents can return to their homes as quickly as possible.”
ABC News’ Meredith Deliso, Nadine El-Bawab, Jaclyn Lee, Alex Stone, Jenna Harrison, Connor Burton and Sasha Pezenik contributed to this report.
(LAKE MARION, S.C.) — A woman died after being struck by a patio umbrella during strong winds at a lakeside South Carolina restaurant over Memorial Day weekend, officials said.
The incident occurred Saturday evening at a restaurant along Lake Marion in Summerton, authorities said.
The woman and her husband were dining on the restaurant’s patio “when a sudden strong wind blew an umbrella from a table,” striking the woman in the head and neck area, the Clarendon County Coroner’s Office said in a statement.
First responders found the woman unresponsive with lacerations to her head and neck area, and she was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the coroner’s office.
The victim is a woman from Huger, South Carolina, the coroner’s office said. An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.
The restaurant, Driftwood Grill Home of the Lazy Gator, confirmed the incident occurred at its restaurant during a “sudden severe weather event at Lake Marion.”
“This has deeply affected many people in our community, including guests, staff, first responders, and everyone involved,” the restaurant said in a statement Sunday on social media. “Out of respect for the family and those impacted, we ask for continued prayers, compassion, and privacy during this incredibly difficult time.”
The restaurant said it held a support session on Monday with authorities, chaplains and others for those impacted by the “tragic” incident.
“This has impacted many people — including staff members, guests, first responders, families, and community members — and we are grateful for the continued support, prayers, understanding, and encouragement being shown throughout the area,” the statement said.
ABC News’ Jason Volack contributed to this report.
Lieutenant John Gullen, an emergency response forest ranger for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, detailed how he rescued a hiker who was stuck in Merlin’s Cave. (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation)
(NEW YORK) — Forest rangers in New York rescued a man last week who had been stuck in a crevice in a cave for six hours, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
The unidentified Brooklyn man was hiking with friends at Merlin’s Cave in the town of Canaan on May 17 when he became stuck in the crevice, the department wrote in the caption of a Facebook post Friday.
Forest Ranger Lt. John Gullen, who helped safely pull the man out, said in a video posted on the department’s social media page that the man “was really jammed in there more than I had expected.”
“It was like his full body was stuck in a crevice that was basically designed the exact shape of him,” Gullen said.
The man slipped into the crevice about 400 feet from the cave entrance, according to department officials, and had become completely immobilized.
Gullen said three of the man’s friends were still with him when rescuers arrived and had attempted to get him out themselves, but all of them had become hypothermic.
“With any cave rescue, hypothermia is a guarantee,” Gullen said. “It’s about 50 degrees [Fahrenheit] in the cave, and it’s almost 100% humidity, and that gets you cold quick, especially when you’re not moving.”
Gullen said the man maintained a positive attitude throughout the ordeal, as rescuers worked to free him.
“For most people, that’s like their worst nightmare. So he did such a great job keeping a positive attitude. He was giving me thumbs up … we were telling jokes,” he recalled.
The rescue crew were able to use a rock drill to carefully remove parts of the surrounding stone “inches from the subject’s head and back” until he was finally able to wiggle himself free, officials said.
“Once we were able to get to a point where we could high-five, we were high-fiving,” Gullen said. “It’s a feeling that I wish everyone could experience, because there’s nothing like it.”
The man was ultimately able to walk out of the cave on his own after being warmed up, according to officials.
At least 19 people were injured when a stampede broke out, May 24, 2026, at the Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival in Atlantic Beach, South Carolina, according to police. (Horry County Fire Rescue)
(ATLANTIC BEACH, S.C.) –At least 19 people were injured early Sunday in a crowd stampede at an annual motorcycle festival in Atlantic Beach, South Carolina, authorities said.
The incident at the Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival occurred just after 1 a.m. local time near a stage at the event. Police suspect it was started by an individual who suddenly began running through the crowd, officials said.
“At no time were there any confirmed fights, weapons, or direct threats to public safety. The situation appears to have been triggered when an individual began running, causing a brief chain reaction within the crowd that lasted only seconds,” Atlantic Beach Interim Town Manager Titus Leaks said in a statement.
Leaks said that police officers assigned to crowd control at the event in Atlantic Beach, about 17 miles north of Myrtle Beach, quickly calmed the panicked crowd and restored order.
In an earlier online statement, Horry County Fire Rescue (HCFR) referred to the stampede as a “mass casualty incident.”
HCFR reported that 19 people were evaluated for non-life-threatening injuries and three people were hospitalized.
Leaks said that once the situation was stabilized, the event resumed normal operations.
“First and foremost, we want to express our sincere concern for anyone who was injured or impacted,” Leaks said. “Any situation where individuals are harmed is taken seriously, and our thoughts are with those affected as they recover. The safety and well-being of our residents and visitors remains our highest priority.”
The Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival has been held every Memorial Day weekend for the past 40 years, attracting visitors and motorcycle enthusiasts from across the country, officials said.
Last year’s event was marred by several high-profile incidents, including a party boat shooting in Little River and multiple fights that sent several people to the hospital, according to ABC affiliate station WCIV in Charleston, South Carolina.
