Nippon Dynawave Chemical Plant Explosion in Longview, Washington: What We Know
Two workers are dead, nine remain missing, and eight people were hospitalized after a tank holding white liquor ruptured Tuesday morning at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging pulp and paper mill in Longview, Washington.
Longview, Washington · Updated May 27, 2026
Key facts at a glance
- What: Chemical tank implosion involving white liquor (sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide).
- Where: Nippon Dynawave Packaging, 3401 Industrial Way, Longview, Washington.
- When: Approximately 7:18 a.m. PT, Tuesday, May 26, 2026.
- Casualties (as confirmed by officials): 1 worker confirmed dead, 9 employees unaccounted for, 10 people transported to hospitals.
- Cause: Presently unknown. Investigation by the Washington Department of Labor & Industries is ongoing.
This incident review is by leading Washington explosion lawyer, Aaron DeShaw, who has handled people injured by the NW 23rd x Glisan natural gas explosion in Portland Oregon, and the only lawyer representing people injured in the Hermiston Oregon Shearers Food Plant explosion cases caused by the ignition of Paratherm mineral oil, blowing out the doors and windows and burning that factory to the ground.
What happened at the Nippon Dynawave mill in Longview
A large tank containing a chemical compound known as "white liquor" ruptured shortly after 7 a.m. Tuesday at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging kraft pulp and paper mill on Industrial Way in Longview, Washington. The Longview Fire Department and Cowlitz Fire and Rescue described the event as an implosion involving a vat of chemical treatment product used in the paper-making process.
Cowlitz Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Goldstein told reporters that an 80,000-gallon tank that imploded had been about 60% full at the time of failure. Later in the day, officials and outlets reported figures suggesting a substantially larger volume of white liquor was involved at the site, with roughly 90,000 gallons still remaining inside the damaged structure. Reporting on the exact tank capacity has varied throughout the day, and additional clarification from investigators is expected.
Casualties: 2 dead, 9 missing, 8 hospitalized
Authorities have confirmed at least one worker died as a result of the implosion. Nine additional employees remain unaccounted for. Officials said families of those affected have been notified.
Ten people were taken to hospitals in Longview and Vancouver, Washington for treatment, according to multiple outlets, including PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center and the Level 1 trauma hospital Legacy Emanuel in Portland. Most reports describe the group as seven Nippon Dynawave employees and one firefighter who responded to the scene. Several of the injured were described as being in critical condition with chemical burns. Nine people remain missing and first responders are not entering the factory to search due to ongoing danger.
What is white liquor — and why this matters
White liquor is a strongly alkaline, highly corrosive solution used in the kraft pulping process to break down wood chips. It is composed primarily of sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) and sodium sulfide; the Washington Department of Ecology and reporting outlets also note disodium carbonate as part of the mixture. Direct contact with white liquor can cause severe chemical burns to skin, eyes, and the respiratory tract.
Because of the chemical’s caustic nature, search-and-recovery crews face an unusually hazardous environment. Recovery operations were suspended Tuesday evening because of safety concerns and were expected to resume Wednesday once conditions allowed crews to safely re-enter the area, officials said.
Governor Ferguson and state response
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson said he was traveling to Longview to meet with local responders and other officials. In a statement quoted by Northwest news outlets, Ferguson said:
“Today’s implosion was an absolute tragedy. My heart is with everyone who lost a loved one today — as well as the injured workers. I also want to acknowledge the heroism of the first responders and health care workers who are currently on the frontlines of this disaster.”
Ferguson said the state has mobilized the Washington National Guard Civil Support Team to assist with air monitoring and directed the Washington National Guard Homeland Response Force to deploy to assist with search-and-recovery operations. State environmental and workplace-safety regulators — including the Department of Ecology and the Department of Labor & Industries — were on scene.
On May 27, 2026, Governor Bob Ferguson said the explosion is the "deadliest industrial accident in modern Washington history."
Investigation: L&I and federal regulators
The Washington Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) said its investigators are on scene and that a formal investigation will begin after emergency responders complete rescue and recovery operations. L&I noted the investigation could take up to six months.
Online records from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) show safety complaints were filed against Nippon Dynawave on March 4, 2026 and May 6, 2026. Both cases were still listed as open and the underlying details were not publicly available online at the time of reporting, according to KGW. Washington L&I has two open inspections involving the mill, but officials said neither is related to Tuesday’s tank rupture. KGW and other outlets have also reported that Nippon Dynawave’s Longview operation has experienced workplace safety complaints and multiple fires in recent years.
About the Nippon Dynawave Longview facility
The mill at 3401 Industrial Way in Longview has produced liquid packaging board since 1953. According to the company and the Washington Department of Ecology, Nippon Dynawave Packaging operates a kraft pulp and paper mill and a liquid packaging plant at the site with roughly 550 employees in the pulp and paper operations, producing about 280,000 tons of bleached liquid packaging paperboard, wetlap and slush pulp each year. The facility began operating as a subsidiary of Nippon Paper Industries on September 1, 2016.
History of Dangerous Events at the Nippon Dynawave Plant
Timeline of Tuesday’s events
~7:15–7:18 a.m. PT — A tank containing white liquor ruptures and implodes at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility on Industrial Way.
Morning — Longview Fire, Cowlitz Fire & Rescue, and mutual-aid agencies respond. Ten people are transported to area hospitals.
Midday — Cowlitz Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Goldstein and Nippon Dynawave officials confirm fatalities and missing workers in joint and separate statements.
Afternoon — Governor Bob Ferguson announces he is traveling to Longview and that the Washington National Guard Civil Support Team and Homeland Response Force are being mobilized.
Tuesday evening — Recovery operations are suspended due to ongoing hazards from caustic white liquor remaining in the damaged tank. Recovery is expected to resume Wednesday.
What officials are saying about public safety
Local officials and the Washington Department of Ecology said there is no immediate threat to the broader community. The National Guard Civil Support Team is conducting air monitoring around the site. Residents near Industrial Way were asked to follow guidance from local emergency management; no evacuation orders had been issued for surrounding neighborhoods as of Tuesday evening.
Frequently asked questions
Where exactly is the Nippon Dynawave plant in Longview?
The facility is located at 3401 Industrial Way in Longview, Washington, along the Columbia River industrial corridor in Cowlitz County.
Was this an explosion or an implosion?
Officials and the company have described the event as an implosion of a chemical tank. Some outlets used the word “explosion” in headlines, but emergency responders and Nippon Dynawave specifically referred to a tank that ruptured inward.
Is the Columbia River or local air quality at risk?
Authorities have not reported any release threatening the Columbia River. The Washington National Guard Civil Support Team is conducting air monitoring, and the Department of Ecology is on scene.
When will we know what caused the tank to fail?
The Washington Department of Labor & Industries said a formal investigation will begin after rescue and recovery operations conclude, and it could take up to six months.
Do the injured people have legal claims for their wrongful death or injuries?
The answer is yes. Employees will have claims against Nippon through L&I. There may be liability beyond that if Nippon acted in an intentional way that injured employees. Independent contractors or other people injured who were not employees, including the fire fighter, likely have claims directly against Nippon.
To the extent a third party (not Nippon) was at fault for the tank failure, Nippon employees (and others) can make personal injury claims directly against the company for negligence, reckless or intentional conduct. This will become clearer once the State of Washington and OSHA conduct their investigations.
If you were injured in the Nippon Chemical Implosion, contact our experienced Washington licensed explosion lawyer or call (503) 227-1233 for a free consultation.
We wish the best to the Nippon employees and their families in their recovery.
Sources and verified reporting
This article is based on reporting and official statements from the following outlets and agencies as of Tuesday, May 26, 2026:
- Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) — Longview industrial implosion causes fatalities, critical injuries, officials confirm
- The Seattle Times — Chemical implosion kills multiple people at Longview paper mill
- KGW — Multiple people killed in chemical tank rupture at Nippon Dynawave
- KGW Investigations — Safety complaints, past fires at Longview plant before implosion
- KOMO News — Multiple injuries, 1 dead, 9 missing after chemical implosion at Longview paper mill
- KATU — 1 confirmed dead, 9 others missing after chemical implosion at facility in SW Washington
- KING 5 — Fatalities confirmed after major chemical implosion at Longview Nippon facility
- FOX 13 Seattle — Multiple fatalities, injuries reported in chemical implosion at Longview, WA facility
- KPTV — Authorities confirm fatalities in Longview chemical vat implosion
- MyNorthwest — Deadly chemical implosion at Longview packaging plant
- KNKX Public Radio — Multiple people injured in Longview chemical tank implosion
- Washington State Standard — State agencies respond to chemical tank implosion
- Spokane Public Radio — Chemical tank implosion in southwest WA leaves at least 1 dead, 9 missing
- ABC News — Fatalities confirmed after chemical tank ruptures at pulp and paper mill
- CBS News — Deaths reported after chemical tank implodes at pulp and paper mill
- NBC News — Deaths reported in chemical implosion at Washington manufacturing plant
- PBS NewsHour — Deaths reported after a tank imploded at a Washington pulp and paper mill
- Washington State Department of Ecology — Nippon Dynawave, Longview facility profile
- Nippon Dynawave Packaging — Company website
This article will be updated as officials release additional information. Casualty figures, the cause of the implosion, and details about the tank’s capacity are subject to revision pending the Washington L&I and OSHA investigations.