Overview
- The tank ruptured on May 26, 2026, killing 11 workers and releasing about 900,000 gallons of highly caustic white liquor that can cause severe chemical burns.
- An external inspection in July 2025 rated the 1.2‑million‑gallon atmospheric storage tank “Priority 1: Not fit for continued service unless corrected” and recommended internal inspection and likely shell replacement.
- Follow‑up exterior inspections in October 2025 and February 2026 again found large areas of the carbon‑steel shell below the minimum safe thickness, yet the company did not derate, internally inspect, repair, or remove the tank from service before the failure.
- Investigators say the tank filled after a digestor was taken out of service early on May 26, approached capacity around 6:20 a.m., and failed less than an hour later as employees arrived; the U.S. Chemical Safety Board’s technical review is ongoing.
- State and federal responses include a Washington Department of Ecology notice of 35 violations, active Labor & Industries workplace probes, union and family demands for accountability, and the likelihood of CSB safety recommendations that could affect industry inspection practices.