Tank rupture kills 11 workers at Nippon-owned Longview paper mill

A white-liquor storage tank ruptured at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging mill in Longview, Washington, on 15 September 2026, killing 11 workers and leaving two missing. The US Environmental Protection Agency said chemical residues reached the Columbia River but found no significant contamination of drinking water. The cause of the collapse is under investigation, and Nippon Paper Group, the plant's Japanese parent, has offered condolences.

Why this mattersThe fatal incident is likely to intensify regulatory scrutiny of chemical storage safety at pulp and paper mills across the industry.

• A 500,000-gallon white liquor tank burst at Nippon Dynawave Packaging in Longview, Washington, on 15 September 2026
• Eleven workers died and two remain missing after the rupture
• Eight injured people were recovered, including a firefighter, many of them with burns or inhalation injuries
• The US Environmental Protection Agency confirmed some chemical residues entered the Columbia River, with the effect on drinking water ruled negligible
• Nippon Paper Group, the plant's Japanese parent, issued a statement of condolence to the bereaved families
• Investigators have not yet identified the cause of the tank collapse

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