Inspection reports warned Washington paper mill tank was unsafe before fatal rupture
A federal investigation found that an external contractor flagged a chemical tank at a Washington state paper mill as unfit for continued service months before it burst, killing 11 workers.
A recent update from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board revealed that a contractor inspecting a chemical tank at a Longview paper mill in Washington had labeled the vessel "not fit for continued service" ten months before it catastrophically failed. The inspections in July, October and February documented significant wall thinning below the minimum safe thickness, yet the plant did not halt operations or perform the recommended repairs.
When the tank gave way, it discharged roughly 900,000 gallons of white liquor, a highly corrosive substance, killing 11 employees and injuring several others, including a firefighter. The board’s report notes that the emergency response team was not informed that the spill involved a chemical, leading to further injuries. Ongoing investigations aim to determine the precise cause of the rupture, and the state Department of Ecology has recently cited the operator for numerous environmental violations.
Why it matters
The incident shows how ignored safety warnings can lead to deadly industrial accidents.
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