A massive chemical explosion rocked the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company in Longview, Washington, on Tuesday morning, injuring multiple workers with chemical burns and prompting a large emergency response.
The blast occurred around 7:18 a.m. at the paper mill facility, which employs 550 people and produces about 280,000 tons of bleached liquid packaging paperboard annually, according to the Washington State Department of Ecology. Officials attributed the incident to an implosion from a vat of chemical treatment.
“Multiple people suffered chemical burns and other injuries and were transported by ambulance to PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview and PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver. The extent of the injuries is not fully known at this time,” the Longview Fire Department wrote on Facebook.
Five fire engines, seven ambulances, and a hazmat team responded to the scene to mitigate the product and container involved. Residents were advised to stay away from the site, though officials stated there is no immediate threat to the public.
The severity of the injuries remains unclear, with workers taken to two local hospitals for treatment. An employee at the facility told The California Post they had “no information” available when contacted for comment shortly after the event.
The company manufactures products converted into eight billion single-serve containers per year. The explosion comes after a multi-day fire at the same mill in 2023, as reported by KCBY.
Longview sits about 50 miles north of Portland, Oregon, and the blast was heard across the small city. A fire crew and hazmat team remained on-site following the initial response.
The incident coincides with an ongoing chemical tank crisis in Orange County that has forced thousands of residents to evacuate, though no direct connection has been established between the events.
Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the implosion while monitoring the facility. Updates on the injured workers are expected as more details emerge from the hospitals.