Families sue Longview paper mill, alleging company ignored warning signs tank could fail

Two families are suing after a chemical tank rupture at a Longview paper mill killed 11 workers and injured at least eight others in May.

The families of Dillon Miller and Clinton “CJ” Doran, two men who died due to the tank failure, alleged Nippon Dynawave Packaging ignored repeated warnings that the tank could fail, according to The Oregonian.

Weyerhaeuser, the mill’s former owner, is also named in the lawsuit. The company told The Oregonian it has not owned or managed the facility since selling it to Nippon more than 10 years ago.

“Our thoughts continue to be with the families who lost loved ones and with everyone affected by the incident,” Weyerhaeuser spokesperson Nancy Thompson said.

The families are seeking monetary damages.

In September, Mackenzie Ammons, the widow of Jared Ammons, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Nippon Dynawave Packaging, KIRO 7 reported. The lawsuit claimed the company had a “policy” of running its equipment until failure and that warning signs were ignored.

A spokesperson for Nippon Dynawave Packaging told MyNorthwest the company is aware of the complaints.

“At this time, we are unable to comment on active litigation,” the spokesperson added. “Nippon Dynawave Packaging remains committed to approaching this difficult time with compassion and respect for those affected and for the Longview community.”

Investigation finds Longview paper mill knew tank was dangerously thinning

In August, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) released an update on its investigation. CSB said a July 2025 inspection, about 10 months before the disaster, found that significant portions of G Tank’s carbon-steel shell had thinned below a safe thickness.

“The inspection contractor’s report recommended that Nippon Dynawave Packaging internally inspect and repair the identified thinned areas of G Tank’s shell,” CSB wrote. “The inspection report also stated that G Tank was ‘not fit for continued service’ unless it was repaired and that there was a ‘high likelihood/consequence of failure.’ Despite the inspection’s findings, G Tank remained in service until it catastrophically failed on May 26, 2026.”

Nippon Dynawave Packaging also conducted additional inspections of G Tank in October 2025 and February 2026 and found the shell of the tank was thinner than the safety standard. However, the plant did not inspect the inside of the tank and continued to use it, CSB stated.

The tank failed around 7 a.m. on May 26, rapidly releasing 900,000 gallons of extremely hot, highly caustic white liquor. The temperature of the liquid was around 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

Liquid flooded the courtyard and nearby buildings, where employees were gathered for a morning meeting, according to CSB. Fourteen employees were affected by the release — 11 died, and three were seriously injured. Five additional employees and a firefighter were injured but didn’t have to stay in the hospital.

CSB said in its August update that it would continue to investigate the causes and contributing factors associated with the failure.

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