The quiet industrial city of Longview woke up Tuesday morning to chaos, panic, and heartbreak after a catastrophic chemical tank rupture tore through the Nippon Dynawave Packaging paper mill, leaving multiple workers dead and several others fighting for their lives.
Authorities have identified several of the victims as Gilbert Bernal, Dillon Miller, Clint “CJ” Doran, Jared Ammons, Tyler Covington, and Brad Covington. Officials now say 11 workers are either confirmed dead or presumed dead following the devastating disaster, while seven others remain hospitalized with injuries ranging from burns to severe trauma.
The explosion happened around 7:15 a.m. during a shift change at the facility on Industrial Way in Longview, Washington. Investigators said workers were gathered in office areas, break rooms, and operational sections when the chemical tank suddenly ruptured, unleashing a violent blast that ripped through large portions of the mill.
Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue Chief Scott Goldstein described the incident as one of the worst scenes emergency crews have ever faced. He said the force of the blast caused catastrophic structural damage, trapping workers under collapsed debris and leaving entire sections of the plant unstable and dangerous.
Officials later confirmed that two workers who were initially rescued from the scene died at local hospitals from their injuries. Rescue teams spent hours searching through the wreckage before conditions inside the plant became too hazardous to continue. By Wednesday morning, authorities officially shifted from rescue operations to recovery efforts after drone inspections and structural assessments revealed the building could collapse further at any moment.
Investigators believe the ruptured container held “white liquor,” a highly alkaline chemical solution used in paper manufacturing. Officials estimated nearly 550,000 gallons of the chemical escaped during the rupture, creating additional environmental concerns beyond the deadly blast itself.
State and federal environmental agencies quickly responded after contaminated material reportedly entered the Columbia River through nearby drainage systems. Governor Bob Ferguson said dead fish, including carp, were already being recovered from surrounding waterways as crews monitored the environmental damage. Despite the contamination, officials stressed that Longview’s drinking water remains safe and there are currently no known threats to local air quality.
Residents living near the paper mill have still been urged to stay away from nearby roads, drainage areas, and dikes while recovery and cleanup operations continue. Emergency crews have remained at the scene around the clock, carefully moving through unstable debris while trying to recover the missing workers with dignity and respect.
Matt Amos, a Longview battalion chief assisting with operations, said the emotional weight on first responders has been enormous. He explained that crews are moving slowly and cautiously to protect both rescuers and the victims still trapped inside the damaged facility.
One firefighter injured during the early response was treated and later released from the hospital. Meanwhile, families across Longview continue waiting for answers as investigators work to determine exactly what caused the deadly rupture.
Governor Ferguson called the incident potentially the deadliest industrial disaster in modern Washington state history. Federal, state, and local investigators are now working together to determine whether equipment failure, human error, or another issue triggered the catastrophic explosion that changed so many lives in an instant.
