State Records Detail Earlier Safety Incident at Longview Paper Mill Before Fatal Tank Collapse

Newly released records from the Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) show that a serious workplace incident occurred at the Nippon Dynawave pulp and paper mill in Longview several months before a tank collapse at the facility killed 11 workers in May.

According to state documents, the earlier incident took place in March when a mid-stock drain valve that had reportedly been plugged since the previous year broke free, releasing an estimated 2 to 3 feet of hot pulp around a tank area. The spilled material, described in records as a milky industrial liquid, flooded the worksite and created hazardous conditions.

During the response to the spill, an employee entered the affected area and stepped into a sinkhole concealed beneath the flowing liquid. State records state that the worker became submerged in hot pulp up to the chest. The employee was wearing protective equipment and was not seriously injured.

Labor and Industries classified the event as both a serious accident and a “near miss.” The agency noted that the March incident appears unrelated to the tank that collapsed in May, which released chemicals and resulted in what has been described as the deadliest industrial accident in Washington state history.

State records raise questions about whether the March incident was reported to Labor and Industries as required. According to the documents, the agency did not become involved until approximately one month later after receiving an employee complaint.

Labor and Industries said the March incident remains under investigation and that no citations have been issued. The agency is also continuing its investigation into the May tank collapse.

Nippon Dynawave, which operates a pulp and paper mill handling a range of industrial chemicals, did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the March incident.