LONGVIEW, Wash. – A U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) update released Friday confirms that a chemical tank at the local paper mill was deemed “not fit for continued service” in July 2025, yet the facility kept the tank in operation until it catastrophically failed on May 26, 2026.
Ignored inspections and missing repairs
The CSB report details that the inspection contractor, Applied Technical Services LLC, identified “significant thinning” of the tank wall below the minimum safe thickness in July 2025. The contractor’s own recommendation labeled the tank a “Priority 1: Not fit for continued service unless corrected” with a high likelihood of failure.
Follow‑up inspections in October 2025 and February 2026 again found large portions of the shell thinner than required, but Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company took no action to remove the tank from service or to derate it for reduced operation. The board notes the company also failed to replace the shell as recommended.
Deadly release of white liquor
When the tank ruptured, roughly 900,000 gallons (3.4 million liters) of “white liquor” – a caustic solution used in paper production – flooded the plant courtyard, crushed vehicles, and entered nearby buildings. The blast killed 11 workers, including eight employees in an electrical maintenance shop and three others in a mechanical shop and courtyard. Several survivors, including a firefighter, suffered severe chemical burns.
One rescue team member, believing the liquid to be water, waded into the pool and was seriously injured. The plant’s emergency response team did not initially disclose the chemical nature of the spill.
Community and labor response
The Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers called the findings “deeply troubling” and urged a full accounting of how safety recommendations were communicated and acted upon. Families of the victims, represented by attorney Kyle Findley, demanded accountability and justice for those responsible.
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington, issued a statement emphasizing that every worker has the right to return home safely each day and that the community deserves clear answers.
Regulatory backdrop
Earlier this week, the Washington Department of Ecology cited Nippon Dynawave with 35 environmental violations, underscoring ongoing compliance concerns at the facility.
The CSB says its investigation remains ongoing and that a final report with complete findings will be released later this year.
Original reporting: Allentown News – 6abc Philadelphia — read the source article.
