Nippon Dynawave Packaging and Weyerhaeuser have been named in a new wrongful-death lawsuit following the chemical tank failure that killed 11 workers at the Longview, Washington, pulp and paper mill on May 26, 2026.
Filed October 23 by the families of Dillon Miller and Clinton “CJ” Doran, two of the workers killed in the disaster, the lawsuit alleges that Nippon Dynawave failed to address repeated warnings about the deteriorating condition of the tank before its catastrophic failure.
The complaint also names Weyerhaeuser, which previously owned the Longview facility before selling its liquid packaging board business to Japan's Nippon Paper Industries in August 2016.
The families are seeking damages in an amount to be determined at trial.
Earlier inspections under scrutiny
The lawsuit follows findings released in August by the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB), which reported that the tank had been identified as unfit for continued service unless repairs were completed.
An external inspection in July 2025 found significant thinning of the tank's carbon-steel shell below the calculated minimum safe thickness. Subsequent inspections in October 2025 and February 2026 identified similar deterioration.
According to the CSB, the tank remained in operation without an internal inspection, repairs, reduced operating conditions or removal from service.
The tank failed on May 26, releasing approximately 900,000 gallons of hot, highly caustic white liquor into surrounding areas of the mill. Eleven employees were killed and three others seriously injured.
Paper Advance previously reported the CSB's findings in detail on August 31.
Legal proceedings and investigation continue
The latest lawsuit adds to earlier legal actions brought by families of workers who died in the disaster.
Neither Nippon Dynawave nor Weyerhaeuser had immediately responded to media requests for comment on the new lawsuit when it was reported.
In an August 28 statement addressing the CSB's preliminary findings, Nippon Dynawave disputed the completeness of the agency's assessment, saying it omitted important facts and context concerning the company's actions before the incident.
The company emphasized that the investigation remained ongoing and that the preliminary findings did not constitute a final determination of the facts or cause.
The CSB continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tank failure, including inspection and maintenance practices, operating conditions and emergency response procedures.
The new lawsuit marks another development in the legal aftermath of the Longview disaster. The allegations remain subject to judicial examination, and the courts have not established liability for the accident.
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