'Seattle News Weekly': Discussing the Longview, WA implosion
Seattle News Weekly S1E41: Longview implosion, World Cup hotel bookings
On this episode of Seattle News Weekly, hosts Bill Wixey and Matthew Smith take a closer look at the implosion in Longview, WA that killed at least 2 people, with 9 others still missing. Bill and Matthew also revisit the reaction from family members of a 17-year-old boy killed in a shooting in Parkland. Finally, the two talk more about hotel bookings falling below expectations so far for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and a local player making team USA's 26-man roster for the international tournament.
SEATTLE - The Seattle area was faced with some tragic headlines this week, all while leading up to one of the biggest global events of the year. From a shocking chemical tank implosion in Longview to the robbery and shooting of a 17-year-old boy in Parkland, the region contiues to prepare for FIFA World Cup 2026.
On this week's episode of the Seattle News Weekly podcast, FOX 13's Bill Wixey and Matthew Smith sit down to discuss the biggest stories of the week.
Longview Chemical Tank Implosion
Hosts Bill Wixey and Matthew Smith open the podcast with a discussion surrounding the catastrophic implosion of a "white liquor" tank at the Nippon Dynawave packaging facility in Longview, WA. White liquor, which is a chemical made up primarily of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide, is used to break down wood pulp.
The incident was declared a transition from rescue to recovery. The hosts talk about how recovery efforts restarted Wednesday morning after operations halted overnight due to 90,000 gallons of the corrosive chemical making the area too dangerous.
Two victims were identified by family members, but the hosts explain that the coroner's formal identification process is delayed because the bodies have to go through decontamination beforehand. The hosts say nine workers remain missing as rescue efforts transition to a grim recovery phase.
The hosts discuss the environmental fallout of the tragic implosion, noting the facility sits on the Columbia River border. While officials reassure the public that drinking water is safe, local reporters are pushing for transparency, noting that dead carp have already begun appearing in the area.
Fatal Shooting of Braylen Daniel Diaz
The hosts switch gears, to discuss the tragic shooting from the previous weekend in Parkland, WA. Diaz, a 17-year-old junior and athlete at Washington High School, was shot and killed while walking with his girlfriend.
Assailants in a red sedan called Diaz over, robbed him of his jewelry, and shot him from the back seat. Family and his girlfriend noted that Diaz only approached the car to protect her. Authorities are actively looking for the suspects and appealing to the community for help identifying the red sedan, images of which have been posted to the FOX 13 website.
Seattle World Cup Preparations & Economic Concerns
With FIFA World Cup 2026 just two weeks away, the hosts talk about how "Visit Seattle" slashed its economic impact estimate by nearly $100 million due to sluggish hotel bookings. Nearly 80% of local hotels are currently underperforming, though experts still predict a last-minute ticket and travel surge. The city has already invested $47 million in transportation and stadium upgrades, including transforming Lumen Field into "Seattle Stadium" for the tournament.
The hosts end on a positive note, highlighting that Seattle Sounders midfielder Christian Roldan was named to the 26-man U.S. National Team roster, allowing him to play in front of his home crowd.
Seattle News Weekly is a podcast that goes in depth and gives context to the stories that matter to the western Washington community. Check back every Thursday for a new episode on your favorite podcast platform, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Audible or YouTube.
The Source: Information in this story came from original FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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