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Longview, WA mill not fit for service ahead of implosion
The Longview mill, that imploded three months ago and killed 11 workers, is facing some new repercussions.
LONGVIEW, Wash. - Union officials called new federal findings "deeply troubling" after an update from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board revealed that plant managers at the Longview Nippon Dynawave mill received a warning about a critical storage tank months before a May 26 implosion killed 11 workers.
According to a statement released Aug. 28 by the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers (AWPPW), an inspection report provided to Nippon Dynawave warned that "G Tank" was unfit for continued service unless repaired. The federal safety update noted a high likelihood and severe consequence of failure, yet the chemical storage vessel remained in normal operation.
The scene of a deadly chemical tank implosion in Longview. (Department of Ecology)
The deadly incident occurred when the tank catastrophically failed, spilling hundreds of thousands of gallons of "white liquor"—a highly corrosive compound used in paper manufacturing—and releasing clouds of toxic smoke into the facility.
What we know:
The Chemical Safety Board (CSB) confirmed that an inspection report issued months prior to the collapse explicitly warned company officials about the structural integrity of G Tank. Despite recommendations for immediate internal inspections, maintenance, reduced service, or complete decommissioning, the tank remained in standard operational use until its failure.
New video captures deadly Longview, WA chemical tank implosion
New video shows the moment a chemical tank imploded at a Longview paper mill in May, killing 11 and injuring eight others.
Separate from the CSB technical review, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) opened two unrelated workplace safety investigations into the Longview facility prior to the disaster.
State inspectors cited the mill following a March complaint regarding a broken valve handle on an aqua ammonia clarifier tank, resulting in a $2,890 fine after managers failed to produce inspection records or a formal maintenance plan. A second investigation was opened May 6 after a drain failure created a four-foot sinkhole, causing a worker to fall into hot paper pulp.
What they're saying:
"Eleven of our brothers lost their lives, others were seriously injured, and their families, coworkers and the Longview community continue to carry an immeasurable loss," said Josh Estes, spokesperson for the AWPPW. "The update raises urgent questions about how technical findings and recommendations concerning the tank were communicated, evaluated and incorporated into decisions about its continued operation. The families and workforce deserve a complete accounting of that process."
Estes emphasized that accountability and the facility's future are not mutually exclusive. "AWPPW will not sacrifice accountability to protect these jobs, and we will not abandon this workforce while demanding accountability. We support the timely restoration of safe operations and will continue working with NDP, elected leaders and other partners to secure the mill’s long-term future."
WA was investigating Longview mill weeks before deadly chemical implosion
A new report reveals that the Longview Nippon Dynawave mill, the site of a chemical implosion which killed 11 workers in May, was under several unrelated investigations by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.
The CSB continues its separate, nonregulatory federal safety investigation focused on establishing technical causes and making nationwide safety recommendations. The board does not issue fines or civil citations.
The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries serves as the lead enforcement agency for workplace safety violations. L&I investigators remain on site and have a statutory deadline of Nov. 22, 2026, to issue their final findings, citations, or enforcement actions.
Union representatives say worker participation and independent safety verification across all mill equipment will be mandatory prerequisites before any operational restart moves forward.
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The Source: Information in this story came from an Aug. 28 press release issued by the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers (AWPPW), a FOX 13 Seattle report detailing Washington Department of Labor & Industries enforcement records and investigative updates from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board.