The site presents a very complex environment of danger and uncertainty
In Longview, Washington, a massive chemical tank gave way during a shift change at a paper mill, claiming eleven lives and leaving three workers still unaccounted for. The rupture at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. released hundreds of thousands of gallons of caustic white liquor into an industrial site already made treacherous by collapsed structures and exposed wiring, slowing the work of those searching for the missing. Beyond the human toll, the chemical's reach into local waterways has raised questions about the boundary between industrial risk and public safety — a boundary that communities built around heavy industry have always had to negotiate. Recovery continues, measured not in speed but in the weight of what remains to be found.
- A tank holding nearly a million gallons of industrial chemicals collapsed during a shift change, killing workers gathered in a common area at the worst possible moment.
- Three workers remain missing inside a site so hazardous that every rescue crew member must undergo full decontamination just to exit, turning recovery into an agonizingly slow process.
- Caustic white liquor has leaked into ditches above a city drinking water source, killing fish and raising public alarm, even as officials insist the aquifer below remains protected.
- Authorities are racing to dilute and flush contaminated waterways before the chemical load grows, with plans to release treated water into the Columbia River once pH levels are deemed safe.
- The mill sits largely idle, its workforce sent home but kept on payroll, while the company offers little beyond assurances that it takes safety seriously in a hazardous industry.
Two days after a chemical tank ruptured at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. paper mill in Longview, Washington, recovery crews pulled six more bodies from the wreckage on Thursday, raising the confirmed death toll to eleven. The tank had failed on Tuesday during a shift change, and the workers' gathering area — occupied at that hour — bore the full force of the collapse. Three workers remain missing.
Fire Department Battalion Chief Matt Amos described the recovery environment as deeply complex: collapsed structures, exposed electrical wiring, and a persistent chemical hazard that requires every crew member to undergo decontamination upon leaving the site. No timeline was offered for recovering the remaining victims.
The tank had held roughly 900,000 gallons of white liquor — a caustic mixture of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide used in pulp processing — and was about two-thirds full when it gave way. An estimated 25,000 gallons remained in the damaged tank as of Thursday, still leaking slowly into the surrounding area.
Some of the chemical reached a network of ditches above one of Longview's drinking water sources, prompting immediate testing. City Public Works director Chris Collins assured residents the water is safe, drawn from an aquifer 200 feet below the surface with natural barriers against contamination. EPA coordinator Brooks Stanfield confirmed no hydrogen sulfide had been detected in the air, though dead fish have appeared in the affected ditches and more are expected.
Authorities have begun diluting the ditch system with fresh water and plan to flush the treated material into the Columbia River once pH levels are safe. A small, unknown quantity of white liquor reached the river immediately after the rupture, though officials characterized it as very limited and said the river remains safe.
The mill is largely shut down, with only critical systems running on minimal staff. Nippon Dynawave has committed to continuing pay for idled workers. Several employees were injured in the rupture, with some transported to a burn center in Portland. Three families are still waiting to learn what became of their loved ones.
Two days after a massive chemical tank ruptured at a paper mill in Longview, Washington, recovery crews pulled six more bodies from the wreckage Thursday, bringing the confirmed death toll to eleven. The tank had failed on Tuesday at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. facility, located just south of the Oregon border. The six bodies were discovered in what authorities described as a workers' area—a space where employees gather before and after shifts. The timing of the rupture, which occurred during a shift change, meant the area was occupied when the tank gave way.
Three workers remain unaccounted for. Fire Department Battalion Chief Matt Amos acknowledged Thursday that recovery efforts are moving slowly and deliberately. The site presents what he called a "very complex" environment: exposed electrical wiring, collapsed structures, and the ongoing chemical hazard from the tank itself. Every crew member who enters the scene must go through decontamination when they leave, a process that slows the pace of work considerably. Amos offered no timeline for when the remaining bodies might be recovered.
The tank held approximately 900,000 gallons of white liquor—a mixture of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide commonly used in pulp and paper processing. It was about two-thirds full when it ruptured. An estimated 25,000 gallons of the chemical remained in the damaged tank Thursday, leaking slowly into the surrounding area. The tank's condition had not changed from Wednesday to Thursday, according to Amos.
Beyond the immediate human toll, the rupture created environmental complications. Some of the chemical leaked into a network of ditches that sit above one of Longview's drinking water sources. The discovery prompted immediate testing and public reassurance. Chris Collins, the city's Public Works director, said the water remains safe to drink, drawn as it is from an aquifer 200 feet below the surface with protective barriers against surface contamination. Environmental Protection Agency coordinator Brooks Stanfield confirmed that hydrogen sulfide, a primary concern, has not been detected in the air. Dead fish have been found in the contaminated ditch system, and authorities expect to find more until the ditches can be safely flushed.
Authorities have begun a two-part cleanup plan: pumping fresh water into the ditch system to dilute the chemicals, then flushing the diluted material into the Columbia River once the pH reaches safe levels. Fire hydrants have been opened to assist with the effort. Stanfield noted that some white liquor reached the Columbia River in the minutes immediately following the rupture, though the volume is unknown. He characterized the amount as "very limited" and said the river is currently safe for fishing and swimming.
The mill itself remains largely shut down. Nippon Dynawave's director of support services, Brian Wood, said only critical infrastructure continues operating with minimal staff. The company has committed to paying workers who are not working and said it will continue to do so. When asked about safety practices at the facility, Wood stated that the company operates in a hazardous industry and approaches it with care, offering little elaboration beyond that.
Several workers were injured in the rupture. Some were transported to the Legacy Oregon Burn Center in Portland, though the exact number of injured and their current conditions remained unclear Thursday. The recovery operation continues in a landscape of industrial danger and environmental uncertainty, with three families still waiting for answers.
Notable Quotes
The scene is very complex, with industrial hazards like exposed electrical wiring and collapsed structures making recovery difficult.— Matt Amos, Longview Fire Department Battalion Chief
We work in a highly hazardous atmosphere and a highly hazardous industry. We approach it with the utmost care in everything that we do.— Brian Wood, Nippon Dynawave director of support services
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why were so many workers in that gathering area during the rupture? Was it just bad timing?
The tank failed during a shift change—that's when one group of workers is leaving and another is arriving. The gathering area is where they congregate before and after shifts, so it was crowded at exactly the wrong moment.
The chemical itself—white liquor—how dangerous is it to handle?
It's a standard industrial chemical in paper mills, but it's caustic and toxic. Sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide aren't things you want exposure to. The fact that it leaked into ditches above the drinking water source is why authorities had to move so quickly with testing and cleanup.
The company says they approach hazards with care. Does that ring true given what happened?
That's the question everyone's asking. A tank holding 900,000 gallons of caustic chemicals failed catastrophically. Whether that's a failure of maintenance, design, inspection, or something else—that's what investigators will need to determine. The statement doesn't answer much.
Why is recovery taking so long if they know where the bodies are?
The scene is genuinely dangerous. Exposed electrical wiring, collapsed structures, chemical hazards still present. Every person who goes in has to be decontaminated coming out. It's methodical work, not fast work.
Is the drinking water actually safe?
The testing says yes—the aquifer is deep and protected. But chemical did leak into the ditches above it. They're diluting and flushing those ditches now as a precaution. It's the right approach even if the immediate risk appears low.
What happens to the workers who can't work while the mill is shut down?
The company said they're being paid. Whether that continues indefinitely, whether it covers everyone affected—those details weren't specified. It's a significant economic impact for a community that depends on that mill.