Chemical Tank Implosion at Washington Paper Mill Leaves Dead, Injured and Missing

A chemical tank imploded at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. facility in Longview, Washington, on Tuesday morning, leaving multiple people dead or missing and injuring at least 10 others, including a firefighter, according to local officials and company representatives.

The incident occurred around 7:15 a.m. at the pulp and paper mill in southwestern Washington. Emergency crews described the scene as a “mass casualty scene” as firefighters, paramedics and hazardous materials teams responded to the site.

In a joint statement issued several hours after the incident, the company and local first responders confirmed fatalities, although authorities did not disclose the number of deaths or missing workers. Cowlitz Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Goldstein said officials were withholding details while rescue and recovery operations continued.

The injured victims suffered burns and inhalation-related injuries ranging from minor to critical conditions. Patients were decontaminated at the site before being transported to hospitals in Longview and nearby Vancouver. Officials said there was no immediate threat to the public.

According to authorities, the imploded vessel was an 80,000-gallon tank that was approximately 60% full of white liquor, a corrosive chemical mixture of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide used in kraft paper production. The rupture released chemicals into a drainage ditch, prompting Washington state’s Ecology Department to send an environmental assessment team to the area.

Chief Goldstein said investigators had not yet determined the cause of the implosion, adding that emergency crews remained focused on rescue operations and stabilizing the site.

The Longview mill employs roughly 1,000 workers and manufactures materials used in tissue products, printing paper, food-service packaging and cartons. The facility is part of a major industrial corridor tied to the region’s long-standing timber and paper industries.

U.S. Senator Patty Murray described the incident as an “absolute tragedy” in a written statement, offering condolences to the families of those killed or injured.

The incident occurred amid broader concerns over industrial chemical safety in the United States following several recent hazardous-material incidents nationwide.