This page is the central source for information about L&I's response to the Nippon Dynawave incident, resources available to affected workers and families, and information about L&I's investigation.

Information About the Incident

Just after 7 a.m. on Tuesday, May 26, a chemical tank ruptured at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. in Longview, WA.

The tank held approximately 900,000 gallons of white liquor, a chemical mixture commonly used at paper mills to break down wood into pulp.

There have been 11 confirmed fatalities. There were also multiple serious injuries and hospitalizations.

Family and Worker Support

Nippon Dynawave is part of the state workers' compensation system managed by L&I. We're providing resources to the Family Support Center set up at the Association of Western Pulp & Paper Workers Hall in Longview.

Response and Investigation

L&I has opened an investigation into this incident. Our goal is to determine what happened, identify any workplace safety violations, and help prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

Our staff have been on site since May 26. That includes specialized investigators who focus on high-hazard chemical industries. They're communicating with first responders to help make the site safe, both for our team and the ongoing recovery effort.

We started with preliminary work that could be done safely without interfering with emergency response efforts. Now the site is safe and the recovery effort is completed, inspection of the collapsed tank and surrounding areas will begin.

As part of the investigation, we will gather relevant documentation, including safety plans and hazard assessments. Our inspectors will interview witnesses and conduct a thorough physical inspection of the site. Then they'll make determinations about what happened, whether there were violations of safety rules, and whether those violations will result in penalties.

Workers are entitled to protection from retaliation for voicing safety or health concerns in the workplace. Employers may not fire, discipline, or retaliate against workers for exercising their workplace safety & health rights.

  • Once the investigation has been completed, a closing conference will be held with employer and worker representatives. In a closing conference, L&I shares findings with the employer and worker representatives to make clear what the employer needs to do to correct any issues, and on what timeline.
  • L&I has 180 days, by law, to complete an investigation, and for large, complex inspections like this one, it will likely take the full 180 days.
  • Once the employer receives the final findings of the inspection, they have 15 working days to appeal any violations.

We'll release the results of the investigation on this web page when the investigation is complete.

Information about safety and health investigations for all employers, including Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co., can be found on L&I's Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business web page. You can also view a summary of the company's regulatory history with L&I's Division of Occupational Safety & Health.

Useful Resources