Death Toll Rises to 8 in Longview Paper Mill Disaster
Eight people are confirmed dead and three more remain missing and presumed dead after a 900,000-gallon tank of caustic white liquor catastrophically imploded at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. paper mill in Longview, Washington, on Tuesday morning. The disaster, which occurred just before 7:15 a.m. PDT during a shift change, is now the deadliest workplace tragedy in Washington state in 96 years, according to OPB.
The Disaster
The tank, containing hundreds of thousands of gallons of white liquor — a highly corrosive solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide used in the kraft pulping process — ruptured and imploded, releasing a wave of hazardous chemicals across the facility. Seven workers at the mill and one firefighter were injured, with injuries ranging from chemical burns to inhalation damage. Five survivors were discharged from hospitals by May 27.
Recovery crews located six bodies at the site on Thursday, bringing the confirmed death toll to eight. Three workers remain unaccounted for and are presumed dead. Longview Fire Department Chief Brad Hannig described the scene as “an active and hazardous environment,” according to OPB.
The damaged tank remains unstable, complicating recovery operations. The site is crisscrossed by pipelines, power lines, and other chemicals, making it difficult for responders to use aerial drones to locate the missing. The BBC reported that approximately 90,000 gallons of white liquor may still remain inside the compromised tank.
The Victims
Families have begun to identify loved ones among the deceased. Gilbert Bernal, 52, an instrument technician who had worked at the mill for more than a decade, was confirmed among those killed. His daughter Geo Bernal told OPB: “He literally did everything for us. It’s just really, actually, heartbreaking that the career that he worked so hard, is what took him out.”
Jared Ammons and Dillon Miller have also been identified by family members as among those killed. Ammons leaves behind a wife, two children, and one on the way, while Miller leaves behind a partner and three children.
Environmental Impact
Tens of thousands of gallons of white liquor escaped the facility, reaching the Columbia River through the storm drain system. Dead carp have been found in dikes along the river. State officials have advised residents to stay away from dikes and ditches between Washington Way and Prudential Boulevard. However, Longview’s air quality and drinking water remain unaffected, according to the Washington Department of Ecology.
Unlike oil, white liquor cannot be skimmed or collected — it must self-neutralize with water over time, making environmental remediation a prolonged process.
Investigations and Safety History
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has opened an investigation into the incident. CSB Chairperson Steve Owens said the agency is working “to determine how it happened and what can be done to prevent something like this from happening again,” as reported by the CSB. Washington State Labor & Industries has also opened two investigations.
The disaster follows a troubling safety record at the facility. Washington State L&I cited Nippon Dynawave four times for safety violations between 2019 and 2025, with cumulative fines totaling only $3,400. The company also had at least 19 Clean Air and Clean Water Act violations over the past five years. In 2025, the company was cited for moving equipment before an investigation into an employee’s finger amputation could be completed. As recently as March 2026, an anonymous complaint was filed about a sinkhole created by a failed drain.
Community and Official Response
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson visited Longview on May 27, calling it “the deadliest industrial tragedy in modern Washington state history.” U.S. Senator Patty Murray and Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez also visited the community. The KOMO News reported that the Washington National Guard’s 10th Homeland Response Force has been deployed to provide decontamination support for search and recovery teams.
Operations at the mill are paused. Employees unable to work are still being paid as of May 28, according to Brian Wood, Support Services Director for Nippon Dynawave. Wood stated that the company will “cooperate to the maximum extent that we can with the investigation.”
Historical Context
This disaster surpasses the 2010 Tesoro Refinery explosion in Anacortes, which killed seven people, as Washington’s worst workplace tragedy in nearly a century. The last deadlier event was the 1930 Pacific Coast coal mine explosion in Carbonado, which claimed 17 lives.
What’s Next
The CSB investigation is expected to take up to six months. Local officials have raised concerns about the future of the mill, which employs approximately 1,000 people in a region of 115,000 residents. Representative Perez noted that “folks here have watched mill after mill close across this state, always wondering if their mill is next.” The disaster has also reignited broader questions about workplace safety enforcement and industrial regulation.