Fatalities Reported And Several Missing After Chemical Leak At Washington Paper Mill

BreakingBusinessBreaking NewsFatalities Reported And Several Missing After Chemical Leak At Washington Paper MillByZachary Folk,Forbes Staff. I cover breaking news.Follow AuthorMay 26, 2026, 04:37pm EDTToplineMultiple people were killed after an implosion at a packaging facility and paper mill in Washington state on Tuesday morning, fire authorities in the city of Longview said, after a tank of white liquor ruptured causing “chemical burns and other injuries.”A tank of white liquor imploded at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company in southern Washington state on Tuesday.Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reservedKey FactsThe chemical leak occurred at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company—a kraft pulp and paper mill and liquid packaging plant that employs hundreds of workers, according to Washington’s Department of Ecology.The implosion caused “multiple critical injuries” and an unknown number of fatalities, the Longview Fire Department said at a press conference on Tuesday.Several people remained unaccounted for, a spokesperson for the Fire Department said at the press conference, but further details about the victims have not been released.There is no immediate threat to the public, the fire department said, but it warned residents to avoid the facility as recovery efforts remain ongoing.This is a breaking story and will be updated.Got a tip? Share confidential information with Forbes.Editorial StandardsReprints & PermissionsLOADING VIDEO PLAYER...FORBES’ FEATURED Video