Full Breakdown
Chemical Tank Implosion at Longview Pulp Mill Leaves Deaths, Injuries and Environmental Concerns
5/27/2026, 2:17:36 AM
Incident Overview
At about 7:15 a.m. on May 26, 2026, an 80,000-gallon tank at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. on Industrial Way in Longview, Washington, ruptured and imploded. The tank held “white liquor,” a sodium-hydroxide and sodium-sulfide solution used in kraft-paper production, and was roughly 60 % full. Emergency crews called the scene a mass-casualty incident and confirmed no immediate threat to the surrounding community.
Facility Background
Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co., a subsidiary of Nippon Paper Group, bought the Longview mill from Weyerhaeuser in 2016 for $285 million. The plant makes bleached paperboard, wet-lap and slush pulp and employs about 1,000 workers.
Casualties and Chemical Details
Authorities reported at least one death and multiple critical injuries; nine patients, including one who died, were taken to PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center and ten people, including a firefighter, were taken to hospitals in Longview and Vancouver. Injuries included burns and inhalation trauma. The white-liquor spill entered a nearby ditch, prompting assessment.
Official Responses
Nippon Dynawave and local law-enforcement issued a joint statement confirming fatalities and critical injuries while stressing no immediate public danger. The Longview Fire Department highlighted the “mass casualty scene” and ongoing decontamination. Cowlitz Fire & Rescue Chief Scott Goldstein said responders focused on life-safety concerns and incident stabilization. Ecology’s Brittny Goodsell noted the ditch spill and announced a team to evaluate water-quality impacts. PeaceHealth’s Jim Murez confirmed at least one death among the nine patients.
Criticism and Compliance Concerns
Goodsell said Nippon Dynawave “doesn’t have any recent environmental penalties from Ecology, and nothing in their compliance history points to a current issue,” though the white-liquor discharge may violate the plant’s water-quality permit, raising questions about oversight.
Conflicting Reports
Sources differ on the death toll, describing an “undisclosed number” of fatalities while others confirm only one. Injury counts vary between nine and ten patients, and the implosion time is reported as 7:15 a.m., 7:18 a.m. and 7:19 a.m. across outlets. The cause of the tank failure remains under investigation.
Verbatim Quotes
- “mass casualty scene.” — Mike Gorsuch, Battalion Chief, Longview Fire Department
- “We're dealing with life safety concerns and incident stabilization at this point,” — Scott Goldstein, Chief, Cowlitz Fire & Rescue
- “The people who are responders here have friends and relatives that work on site. It is something that is impactful,” — Scott Goldstein, Chief, Cowlitz Fire & Rescue
- “There was no immediate threat to the public, they said.” — Longview Fire Department statement
- “And nothing in their compliance history points to a current issue either.” — Brittny Goodsell, Washington Department of Ecology
Next Steps
Authorities and Ecology are investigating the cause and monitoring the ditch for contamination. Additional briefings are planned for Tuesday evening, and the mill stays shut pending safety assessments.
