Washington State Agencies Mobilize After Chemical Tank Implosion Kills Multiple Workers at Longview Mill
Why It Matters
A deadly industrial accident at one of southwest Washington’s largest employers has left multiple workers dead and families searching for answers. The Nippon Dynawave Packaging plant in Longview sits along the Columbia River and employs roughly 1,000 people across its two facilities, making it a cornerstone of the regional economy.
What Happened
A chemical storage tank containing white liquor — a caustic solution used to break down wood fiber in pulp processing — ruptured at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging plant in Longview, Washington, shortly after 7:20 a.m. Tuesday morning. The Longview Fire Department confirmed the implosion and said the number of people unaccounted for remained unclear in the immediate aftermath. At least one person was confirmed dead and nine others missing as emergency crews worked the scene.
Ten people were reported injured — nine employees and one firefighter. Authorities said there was no immediate threat to the surrounding public.
Gov. Bob Ferguson traveled to the mill Tuesday afternoon. His office said National Guard teams had been placed on alert as a precaution. State teams from the departments of Ecology and Labor and Industries were both deployed to the site.
By the Numbers
- Approximately 550 employees work at the pulp and paper mill; roughly 450 more work at the adjacent liquid packaging plant
- 10 people were reported injured, including one firefighter
- The facility produces hundreds of thousands of tons of bleached packaging paperboard and pulp annually
- Since 2021, the state Department of Labor and Industries has cited the company multiple times for workplace violations
- In 2024, the state Department of Ecology fined Nippon Dynawave $6,500 for two separate permit violations involving wastewater discharge and excess sulfur dioxide emissions
State Response and Prior Violations
Washington’s Emergency Management Division confirmed it was in contact with local emergency managers and the county sheriff, with state resources standing ready to assist with evacuations or decontamination if requested.
The Department of Labor and Industries said it would open a formal investigation into the cause of the implosion once the immediate emergency response concluded. Notably, the agency already had an active inspection open at the facility related to a valve on a separate tank — an aqua ammonia clarifier — not the tank that failed Tuesday. A second ongoing case involved a sinkhole reportedly caused by a failed drain.
A fire at the same mill in 2023 caused unhealthy air conditions in the Portland metro area. Investigators at the time attributed the blaze, which originated in wood chip piles, to accidental causes but were unable to determine a specific origin.
Community and Political Response
State Sen. Jeff Wilson, R-Longview, said he could see the plant from his home and spent years working there through an industrial cleaning business he owns. “This hurts,” Wilson said in remarks reported Tuesday. “The reason it hurts so much is because you see these people every day.”
Wilson said he is prepared to connect residents with resources and pledged to let investigators do their work before drawing conclusions. “We’re going to get through this,” he added.
Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, whose legislative district includes the facility, called it “a real tragedy” and said the community is waiting for investigators to determine how and why the implosion occurred. U.S. Sen. Patty Murray also issued a statement, calling the incident “an absolute tragedy” and pledging ongoing support for Longview during the recovery.
Nippon Dynawave and the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers, whose Local 580 represents plant employees, opened the union hall in Longview as a family assistance center to provide information and support to affected workers and their families. A community prayer vigil was scheduled for Tuesday evening at R.A. Long Park.
What’s Next
The Department of Labor and Industries will lead a formal investigation into the cause of the implosion once emergency operations are complete. The number of fatalities and the status of missing workers remained fluid as of Tuesday afternoon. White liquor — a compound of sodium hydroxide, sodium sulfide, and other chemicals — poses significant hazards, and a full accounting of the site’s safety conditions is expected to follow. This remains a developing story.
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