Nippon chemical spill victim remembered as loving dad, hard worker

The last time Eli Bernal saw his father, Gilbert Bernal, was in passing on Tuesday before a chemical tank ruptured at Longview's Nippon pulp and paper mill, leaving at least eight dead and eight more injured.

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Eli, 26, of Kelso, works as a contracted security guard at the Industrial Way mill.

He didn't work directly with his 52-year-old father, also from Kelso, but they passed each other on occasion.

Eli was running late, at about 5:40 p.m. Tuesday, when he passed his dad on a stairway.

"I stopped, said I'll see you later," he said.

He told his dad he loved him, but isn't sure he heard amid the rush to clock in.

"I don't know if he heard me," Eli said. "I know he saw me. I know I saw him look at me."

Gilbert Bernal

Gilbert Bernal, 52, of Kelso was one of victims of the tank failure at Nippon Dynawave Packaging on May 26.

'Hardest working man I've ever met'

Less than two hours later, an estimated 500,000 gallons of caustic chemicals known as white liquor ruptured from a tank that could hold 900,000 gallons.

The amount that leaked is about 100,000 gallons less than the volume of an Olympic-size swimming pool.

Officials told the family that Gilbert was one of the first to be transported from the scene and taken to the hospital.

He worked at Nippon for over a decade, serving as an instrument technician, working with wiring and boilers.

Gilbert had never mentioned any safety issues during his time at Nippon, his children said.

Over time, though, they could see the toll the hard labor took on his body. He stood up slowly, sat down even slower. Even a car ride after a hard day's work could cause pain.

The location where the tank ruptured was his main site, Eli said.

Now, he's not sure he can ever return to where he last saw his father alive.

"He was the hardest working man I've ever met," said Eli.

Gilbert Bernal with his children

Eli Bernal, 26, of Kelso, (left) Geovana Bernal, 31, of Spokane, and Gilbert Bernal, 52, of Kelso.

Devoted to Kelso church

Gilbert was a Seahawks fan, a proud grandpa of his 2-and-a-half-year-old grandchild, and a devoted member of his Kelso church, his daughter, Geovana Bernal, said.

Geovana, 31, of Spokane, said he regularly volunteered at Journey Seventh-day Adventist Church, where he joined over 20 years ago.

He offered to fix lights at the West Side Highway building and help church members with tasks at home.

"My dad was always the first one to volunteer his time," she said.

In the next few weeks, he would have celebrated his wedding anniversary.

Gilbert Bernal

Gilbert Bernal, 52, of Kelso.

Gilbert was a dishwasher and his wife a waitress at a Yakima restaurant when they first met, when each was around 18.

The connection was instantaneous.

"'I'm gonna marry that girl,'" Geovana recalled Gilbert saying about her mom. "He knew the first time he met her."

Her mother is still processing his death.

"I can only imagine what she's feeling as a spouse," she said.

Geovana said she last saw her dad in November, but he was planning to visit her soon.

Now, she and the family are raising money to cover his funeral.

The goal is to reach $30,000. After just three days, they reached $25,000 as of Friday.

The family is holding a public celebration of life on Sunday at his church. Geovana said her father would want it that way.

"My dad always loved to share his faith," she said, "and he would be over the moon to see every seat in our church filled."

How to help

The public is invited to attend Gilbert Bernal's celebration of life at 2 p.m. Sunday at Journey Seventh-day Adventist Church, at 1185 West Side Hwy., Kelso.

People can donate to help the family at www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-gilbert-bernals-family-after-tragedy.

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