This browser does not support the Video element.
Longview mill tragedy follows past fires
Following a recent tragedy, community members are expressing concern over the Nippon Dynamo packaging plant's history of industrial accidents, including a massive 2023 fire.
LONGVIEW, Wash. - Towering over the Columbia River for more than 70 years, the Nippon Dynawave paper mill has become more than just an industrial site in Longview — it’s a community fixture.
The plant, originally owned by Weyerhaeuser, has operated in Longview since 1953, according to company history. It began by producing paperboard for milk cartons and food containers before expanding into a major manufacturing operation, today producing billions of single-serve containers annually.
Paper mill has long history in Longview
Weyerhaeuser sold the Longview operation to Japan-based Nippon Paper Industries in 2016 for $285 million in cash. The deal included the plant’s liquid packaging board business, which at the time had an annual production capacity of 280,000 tons.
The facility has remained one of Longview’s major employers for decades, helping anchor the region’s timber and manufacturing economy.
The mill’s footprint on the community became especially visible during a massive woodchip fire at the facility in July 2023.
A play-by-play account shared by Longview Fire on Facebook shows crews spent days battling the blaze as thick smoke rose over the region.
Video from Longview Police showed heavy smoke pouring into the air while fire crews from agencies across the county responded.
The fire eventually triggered an air pollution advisory for both Clark and Cowlitz counties, warning residents to avoid outdoor activity and wear N95 masks if possible, because of fine particulate matter in the air.
As firefighters worked around the clock, aerial assets were eventually brought in to help contain the blaze. Community members online questioned whether enough was being done to prevent industrial fires like the one at the facility, with some expressing concerns the incidents were becoming annual events.
The 2023 fire is not believed to be connected to the current tragedy involving the plant. However, the incident underscored how deeply tied the facility remains to the broader Longview community.
MORE NEWS FROM FOX 13 SEATTLE
Man dies after stabbing in Tacoma, WA; homicide investigation underway
Residents near Seattle’s Aurora Avenue frustrated by rising gun violence
What to know about the southern WA 'Country Meadows' wildfire prompting evacuations
Chelan, WA 14-year-old arrested for shooting 17-year-old
After 6 years on the run, Renton police arrest man for 2020 homicide
UW student concerned over 911 response to potential suspect sighting
To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.
Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle reporter Lauren Donovan.