The remains of all 11 workers killed in a paper mill explosion in Washington state have been recovered, officials announced Saturday, concluding a five-day search and recovery operation.

Longview Fire Chief Brad Hannig confirmed during a Saturday news conference that the final two missing employees were found, bringing the total confirmed death toll to 11. "Today, on day five of this incident, I can share that we have recovered the ninth and final missing employee of this incident," Hannig said.

The explosion occurred earlier this week at the paper mill facility in Washington state. The incident involved what officials have described as a chemical accident at the industrial site.

Search and recovery efforts had been ongoing since the explosion, with emergency responders working to locate all missing workers. The recovery of the final victims marks the end of the immediate search phase of the response to the industrial accident.

Authorities have not yet released details about the cause of the explosion or the specific circumstances that led to the incident. The investigation into what caused the blast at the paper mill facility is expected to continue.