A chemical tank failure at a southwest Washington paper mill has now claimed two lives, with nine workers still unaccounted for as recovery teams moved onto the site Wednesday following a brief pause in operations due to safety concerns.
Why It Matters
The industrial disaster at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging plant in Longview, Washington represents one of the more serious chemical incidents to hit the Pacific Northwest in recent years. The event raises significant questions about industrial safety protocols at large-scale manufacturing facilities and the risks first responders face when hazardous substances are involved.
What Happened
A storage tank holding roughly 900,000 gallons of white liquor — a highly corrosive chemical used in paper production — ruptured Tuesday morning at the Longview mill. The failure sent the caustic substance across the facility, injuring workers and trapping others. White liquor can cause severe burns on contact with skin.
Longview’s Fire Department confirmed Wednesday that a second victim had died after being transported from the scene. The first fatality was confirmed the previous day. Seven additional mill employees and one firefighter sustained injuries in the incident. Authorities initially reported at least one dead and nine others missing following the rupture.
Emergency responders temporarily suspended their operation Tuesday after determining the tank remained structurally unstable and still held thousands of gallons of the corrosive material. Cowlitz 2 Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Goldstein stated Tuesday evening that responders had no expectation of finding anyone still alive. State agencies coordinated their response in the hours that followed.
Recovery operations formally began Wednesday morning. Officials said recovered individuals would be decontaminated before transport to the Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office for identification and notification of next of kin.
By the Numbers
- 2 confirmed fatalities as of Wednesday
- 9 individuals still unrecovered at the site
- 900,000 gallons of white liquor held in the failed tank
- 8 additional injuries — seven employees and one firefighter
Federal Investigation Opened
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board announced Wednesday it is opening a formal inquiry into the tank failure, with a team of investigators dispatched to Longview that same day. The board’s chair, Steve Owens, said the goal is to determine the cause and prevent similar incidents in the future. The agency investigates catastrophic hazardous-substance releases but does not have authority to issue citations or fines.
Public Safety Update
State and local officials said air quality in the surrounding area has not been compromised, and the local drinking water system faces no known threat. Residents are being asked to avoid ditches and dikes in the Longview area until water testing is complete.
What’s Next
Recovery efforts are expected to continue in the coming days as crews work to account for all nine unrecovered individuals. The federal investigation is in its early stages, with findings and safety recommendations to follow at a later date. This remains a developing situation.
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