Washington chemical tank failure kills 11 workers

A federal update on the Longview, Washington, paper mill tank collapse confirms a chemical tank was deemed unfit for continued service 10 months before its May failure that killed 11 workers and injured several others. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board says it is still investigating and has not determined the exact cause of the failure. The contractor had recommended internal inspections and shell repairs, but Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company did not act on those recommendations between July 2025 and the May 2026 breach. External inspections in late 2025 and early 2026 showed ongoing thinning, with the plant not removing the tank from service or derating its use. The failure released about 900,000 gallons of white liquor, a caustic pulp chemical that can cause severe burns. The board’s excerpt notes that the initial inspection labeled the tank as not fit for continued service, highlighting a key safety concern in the disaster.