Tank Rupture at Washington Paper Mill Leaves Workers Missing, Injured

OPB (05/26/26)

A tank rupture at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company in Longview, Wash., left at least one person dead, nine people unaccounted for, and nine others injured, according to OPB. The 900,000-gallon tank held white liquor, a corrosive compound used in the papermaking process, and emergency responders suspended recovery operations Tuesday evening because of structural instability at the site and the ongoing risk of chemical exposure. The mill, which employs about 1,000 people, produces liquid packaging board and pulp. State emergency resources, including divisions of the Washington National Guard, are assisting with recovery efforts, while the Washington Department of Ecology is investigating potential environmental impacts after the company reported that white liquor may have spilled into a nearby drainage ditch.

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