First responders saw unspeakable horrors
On a Monday morning in Longview, Washington, a chemical tank holding half a million gallons of caustic industrial fluid ruptured at a paper mill, killing at least two and leaving nine workers presumed dead in what may become the deadliest industrial disaster in modern Washington state history. The explosion at Nippon Dynawave Packaging raises enduring questions about the cost of overlooked warnings — the facility carried a history of fires, open safety inspections, and documented violations at the time of the blast. As recovery crews work to reach the missing and environmental officials race to protect the Columbia River and a regional aquifer, the community is left to reckon with how catastrophe can take root quietly, long before it announces itself.
- A ruptured tank unleashed 550,000 gallons of white liquor — a skin-burning, water-contaminating chemical — across the Nippon Dynawave plant, into drainage ditches, and toward the Columbia River.
- Nine employees remain unaccounted for and are presumed dead, with the search officially shifted from rescue to recovery as crews work to safely decontaminate and access the blast zone.
- Contaminated water now threatens to seep into the regional aquifer, prompting state ecology officials to flush the ditch system in a race against groundwater infiltration.
- The facility had two open safety inspections and a documented history of fires and violations at the time of the explosion, intensifying scrutiny over whether warning signs were missed.
- First responders witnessed severe casualties, and Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez has called on the community to demand accountability as the investigation into the tank rupture's cause continues.
Shortly after 7 a.m. on May 26, a chemical storage tank ruptured at Nippon Dynawave Packaging in Longview, Washington, releasing roughly 550,000 gallons of white liquor — a caustic substance used in paper production — across the facility and into surrounding waterways. Two workers have been confirmed dead, seven others were injured including a firefighter who was treated and released, and nine employees remain unaccounted for. Authorities have transitioned from rescue to recovery operations, with crews working to stabilize the site before they can safely locate and retrieve the missing.
The contamination has spread beyond the plant's boundaries, reaching the Columbia River and flowing through the Longview ditch system. Washington's Department of Ecology is attempting to dilute and redirect the chemical-laden water away from residential areas and the city's drinking supply, but officials warn that prolonged exposure risks seeping into the regional aquifer. There is no airborne threat, but the environmental situation remains precarious.
The disaster has cast a harsh light on the facility's safety record. At the time of the explosion, two inspections were already open — one stemming from a March complaint about a valve on a separate tank, another from a May complaint about a sinkhole caused by a failed drain. Over the past five years, the plant had been cited for violations including inadequate fall protection and had experienced multiple fires, including a four-day blaze in 2023. None of the prior violations directly concerned chemical storage.
The cause of the rupture is still under investigation. Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez has urged the community to seek answers, acknowledging the trauma borne by first responders who witnessed the aftermath. The identities of the dead and missing have not yet been released, and Longview waits — for the recovery of its workers, and for an accounting of how a disaster this large took shape at a facility where warning signs had already begun to accumulate.
On the morning of May 26, a chemical tank ruptured at Nippon Dynawave Packaging in Longview, Washington, sending a caustic substance across the industrial plant and setting in motion what state officials now describe as likely the deadliest industrial disaster in modern Washington history. The explosion occurred around 7:15 a.m. The tank held roughly 550,000 gallons of a chemical called white liquor, used in paper production and corrosive enough to burn skin and contaminate water supplies. When it ruptured, the substance spilled across the facility, into the Columbia River, and through nearby ditches and dikes.
Two people are confirmed dead. One died at the scene; another was taken to a hospital with injuries and later succumbed to them. Seven facility workers were injured in the blast. A firefighter was among those hurt but was treated and released the same day. Nine employees of the mill remain unaccounted for, and authorities have made clear they do not expect to find them alive. The search has transitioned from rescue to recovery, with crews working to stabilize the ruptured tank and the surrounding area enough to safely locate and retrieve the missing workers. Once found, the bodies will be decontaminated and identified by the county coroner.
The contamination extends beyond the plant itself. The Washington Department of Ecology is managing the spill by flushing contaminated water through the Longview ditch system, attempting to draw it away from residential areas and the city's water supply while diluting its concentration. Officials say there is no airborne contamination and no current threat to drinking water, but they acknowledge a growing concern: the longer the contaminated water remains in the ditch system, the greater the risk it will seep into the underlying aquifer, a critical source of groundwater for the region.
What triggered the rupture remains under investigation, but the facility's history suggests a pattern of safety lapses. The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries had two ongoing inspections open at Nippon Dynawave at the time of the explosion. One began in March following an anonymous complaint about a valve on a different tank—an aqua ammonia clarifier, not the white liquor tank that failed. Another inspection opened in May after a complaint about a sinkhole caused by a failed drain. Over the past five years, the facility has been inspected three additional times and cited for violations including inadequate fall protection and failure to enforce face covering requirements. None of these violations were directly related to chemical storage or handling.
The plant has experienced fires before. In July 2023, firefighters spent four days battling a blaze that started on a conveyor belt and spread to bark chip piles and structures on the property. Last August, another fire destroyed a railway warehouse operated by Patriot Rail's Cowlitz and Columbia Railway, which was used for locomotive repair. The facility also investigated an incident in which an employee's finger was amputated; while Nippon Dynawave was cited for moving equipment before it could be inspected, it was not cited for the amputation itself.
U.S. Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a Democrat from Washington, acknowledged the trauma witnessed by first responders and emergency workers. "First responders, emergency workers and nurses saw unspeakable horrors," she said, calling for the community to unite in demanding answers about what went wrong. The identities of the dead, injured, and missing have not been released by authorities. The investigation into the cause of the tank rupture is ongoing, and the community waits for both the recovery of the missing workers and an explanation of how such a disaster occurred at a facility with documented safety concerns.
Notable Quotes
First responders, emergency workers and nurses saw unspeakable horrors. We need to pull together to get the answers that we need here.— U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Washington
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why would a tank like that rupture without warning? Was there a maintenance failure?
That's what investigators are trying to determine now. What we know is the facility had ongoing inspections open—one about a different tank's valve, another about a failed drain. Whether any of that connects to this tank is still unclear.
The chemical spilled into the river. How dangerous is that for people downstream?
White liquor is caustic, so it burns. The state is trying to flush it through the ditch system away from homes and the water supply, but they're worried about groundwater contamination if it sits too long. It's a race against the aquifer.
The facility had fires before—multiple times. Were those warning signs no one acted on?
There were fires in 2023 and 2024, yes. But industrial facilities have incidents. The question is whether the pattern of fires, the safety violations, and the inspections that were open at the time of the explosion point to systemic neglect or just bad luck.
Nine people are presumed dead. How does a community process that?
They don't, not quickly. Right now families are waiting for identification. First responders saw things they'll carry forever. The investigation will matter, but so will whether anyone is held accountable.
Could this have been prevented?
That depends on what caused the rupture. If it was maintenance, design, or operator error—those are preventable. If it was a freak failure despite proper care, that's different. The inspections that were open suggest someone was already concerned about something at that facility.