Chemical Tank Rupture at Washington State Facility Kills One, Leaves Nine Missing

A chemical tank containing 900,000 gallons of white liquor imploded and ruptured at a Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility in Longview, Washington on May 27, 2026 around 7:15 am, killing one person, injuring nine, and leaving nine unaccounted for. Nippon Paper Industries acquired the plant from Weyerhaeuser for $225 million in 2016. The damaged tank remained unstable with 90,000 gallons still inside as recovery efforts were set to resume May 28.

Chemical tank rupture incident

• ▪A chemical tank imploded and ruptured at a Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility in Longview, Washington on May 27, 2026 around 7:15 am local time
• ▪Washington state Governor Bob Ferguson stated that the implosion at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility posed no direct threat to the surrounding community
• ▪An estimated 90,000 gallons of white liquor material remained inside the damaged tank at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility as of May 27, 2026
• ▪The ruptured tank at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility contained white liquor, a chemical solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide used in making paper pulp
• ▪The tank at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility was initially believed to hold around 80,000 gallons but officials later said it contained closer to 900,000 gallons of white liquor

Casualties from explosion

• ▪Six patients from the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility rupture were in fair condition at PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview as of May 27, 2026
• ▪The firefighter injured in the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility rupture was treated and released
• ▪Multiple patients from the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility rupture suffered from chemical burns
• ▪The injured from the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility rupture included eight employees of the facility and one firefighter
• ▪The chemical tank rupture at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility on May 27, 2026 resulted in one death
• ▪Nine people were injured in the chemical tank rupture at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility on May 27, 2026, with some in critical condition

Recovery operation delays

• ▪Nine people remained unaccounted for at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility as of the night of May 27, 2026
• ▪Recovery efforts at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility in Longview were set to resume on May 28, 2026
• ▪The damaged tank at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility remained unstable as of May 27, 2026
• ▪The Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility is located in Longview, Cowlitz County, about 45 miles north of Portland, Oregon

Nippon Dynawave facility ownership

• ▪No injury was confirmed among Japanese employees at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility according to the Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle
• ▪Nippon Paper Industries established the wholly-owned subsidiary Nippon Dynawave Packaging in 2016
• ▪Nippon Paper Industries acquired the Longview plant from Seattle-based timber company Weyerhaeuser for $225 million in 2016

California methyl methacrylate tank

• ▪Authorities in southern California have been monitoring an overheating industrial tank containing highly flammable methyl methacrylate at the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove
• ▪The worst-case possibility of an explosion at the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove was ruled out on May 26, 2026 after a crack relieved some of the mounting pressure

Perspective of Washington state Governor Bob Ferguson

• ▪Washington state Governor Bob Ferguson stated that the implosion at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility posed no direct threat to the surrounding community