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June 3, 2026
It has now been a week since a massive tank containing the highly corrosive substance known as white liquor failed at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging mill in Longview, killing 11 employees and injuring several others.
As the community continues to mourn, attention is increasingly turning to questions about how the tragedy happened. Over the weekend, it was reported that no state agency was responsible for inspecting the roughly 900,000-gallon tank. Responsibility for inspections falls on the mill owner, and Nippon Dynawave has yet to say how old the tank was or when it was last inspected.
The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries said Monday that its investigation is underway. The agency is conducting a workplace safety investigation to determine what happened and whether any safety violations contributed to the incident. L&I Director Joel Sacks said the agency is committed to finding answers and accountability.
By law, the investigation must be completed within 180 days, but L&I says the size and complexity of the disaster means investigators expect to use the full timeline. The investigation will include witness interviews, extensive site inspections, and a review of potential root causes and any workplace safety violations.
Meanwhile, Southwest Washington Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is calling on Nippon Dynawave to continue paying employees during the ongoing investigation by the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. Gluesenkamp Perez said the company initially made a verbal commitment to continue paying workers throughout the investigation but is now reportedly telling employees they will only be paid through this coming Sunday.
In a statement, the congresswoman said, “A community must come together in a time of tragedy. These are our friends, our neighbors, our families, and we need to make sure they’re being taken care of. I’m deeply concerned – if the company doesn’t stand by its commitment to pay workers, it’s just going to pile on even more hardship for people who are already uncertain about the future of their livelihoods.”
In another update released Monday evening, the Longview Fire Department said cleanup operations remain ongoing at the site. Officials continue to emphasize that Longview’s drinking water is safe, but they are asking the public to stay away from ditches and dikes in the area. Crews located another 290 dead fish during monitoring efforts, bringing the total number recovered to more than 2,200.
