The death toll from the industrial accident that occurred on May 26 at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging mill in Longview, Washington, has risen to 11 after the nine workers previously reported missing were found. U.S. authorities confirmed on May 30 that all victims had been located within the mill.
Two fatalities had been reported in the hours following the incident. Search operations continued for several days before responders located the ninth and final missing employee.
Paper Advance reported on the accident the day after it occurred, while search efforts were still underway.
According to local authorities, the incident took place at approximately 7:15 a.m. during a shift change. A white liquor storage tank containing about 3.4 million litres (900,000 gallons) suddenly failed, causing significant damage across several areas of the mill.
White liquor is a chemical solution primarily composed of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide. It is used in the kraft process to dissolve lignin and separate cellulose fibres from wood. Initial reports indicate that the tank failure damaged administrative offices, a break room, and multiple operational areas within the facility.
Investigators are continuing their work to determine the exact cause of the incident. Environmental authorities have stated that no concerning airborne contaminants were detected outside the site and that Longview’s water supply remains safe.
The mill is operated by Nippon Dynawave Packaging, a subsidiary of Japan-based Nippon Paper. The Longview facility employs approximately 1,000 people and produces fibre-based packaging products, particularly for liquid packaging markets. According to the company, the site manufactures nearly eight billion fibre-based containers annually.
All 11 victims have been identified by the Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office. Preliminary findings from the investigation have not yet been released.
Nippon Dynawave Packaging, a subsidiary of Nippon Paper, operates an integrated mill in Longview, Washington, producing kraft pulp and fibre-based packaging products, particularly for liquid packaging markets. The site employs approximately 1,000 people and is one of Nippon Paper’s key production facilities in North America.
