One dead, nine missing after chemical tank collapse at Washington paper mill

A massive chemical tank ruptured and collapsed Tuesday at a paper mill in Longview, Washington, killing at least one person and leaving nine missing, according to local authorities. The incident unfolded at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. facility, where a tank containing roughly 900,000 gallons of a corrosive industrial solution known as white liquor gave way, sending a surge of hazardous material across the site.

Nine others were injured in the collapse — ranging from minor to critical — including one firefighter who responded to the scene. Officials said the immediate rescue phase had been concluded and that crews were now in recovery mode, a shift that underscores the severity of the accident. “At the moment we are not aware of any rescues that are yet to be made,” Cowlitz Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Goldstein told reporters during a news conference.

White liquor, a highly caustic mixture of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide, is widely used in the kraft pulping process to break down wood chips. The tank, initially believed to hold roughly 80,000 gallons, was later found to contain nearly ten times that amount. Authorities estimated that about 90,000 gallons may still remain inside the structurally compromised vessel, complicating recovery operations and posing ongoing hazards. Injuries included burns and inhalation of toxic fumes.

The cause of the collapse remains under investigation, but the incident has drawn renewed attention to industrial safety protocols at chemical-intensive facilities. U.S. Senator Patty Murray, who addressed the community at the press conference, vowed to press for answers. “I know there’s a lot of questions about how all of this happened,” she said. “This community deserves that.” Officials stressed there was no direct threat to the broader Longview area beyond the mill’s perimeter.

The tragedy comes just days after a separate chemical emergency in Orange County, California, where a leaking tank at an aerospace facility prompted evacuation orders for roughly 50,000 residents. In that case, authorities lifted the final evacuation order Tuesday, saying the immediate risk of explosion or fire had passed. That incident involved methyl methacrylate, a highly flammable substance used in manufacturing aircraft transparencies.

While the two events are unrelated, they highlight vulnerabilities in industrial storage and the cascading risks posed by large volumes of hazardous chemicals near populated areas. The Longview mill, operated by Nippon Dynawave — a joint venture of Japanese and American firms — produces containerboard and other paper products. The company has not yet issued a detailed statement on the collapse. The investigation is expected to involve state and federal safety agencies including OSHA.