Death Toll Rises After Chemical Tank Rupture at Washington Paper Mill

A second person injured in Tuesday’s chemical tank rupture at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co.’s paper mill in Longview, Washington, has died, bringing the presumed death toll to 11, including nine workers who remain missing, The Associated Press reported (2 PM, 5-27-26).

Officials said there was no hope of finding additional survivors following the tank failure, which also injured eight people, including a firefighter who was treated and released from a hospital. If confirmed, the deaths would make the incident one of the deadliest US industrial accidents in recent decades.

Authorities said the ruptured tank released more than 500,000 gallons of “white liquor,” a highly corrosive chemical mixture used in paper manufacturing. Search operations had been delayed over concerns the damaged tank could collapse further and spill additional liquid, but crews resumed efforts Wednesday after determining the structure was stable enough to enter the area.

“We do not know where all nine are,” Cowlitz County Fire Chief Scott Goldstein said.

The rupture caused the large circular tank to buckle on one side. Officials said search operations Tuesday were limited to daylight hours because of safety risks.

The Longview facility employs about 1,000 workers and manufactures materials used in tissues, printing paper, cups, plates, and cartons. It sits along the river next to other timber, paper, and chemical businesses.

The cause of the rupture remains under investigation.