Tank Failure Led to 11 Workplace Deaths | Portland News

Portland News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 28, 2026 · 2m

Eleven workers died in a catastrophic chemical tank explosion at a Washington paper mill — a disaster that unfolded just as employees arrived for their shifts. A federal report reveals the tank had been flagged as dangerously thin and unfit for service ten months prior, with contractors urging immediate repairs or removal from operation. Despite multiple inspections confirming critical structural flaws, no action was taken. The failure occurred after a related vessel was shut down, causing the tank to overflow with 900,000 gallons of corrosive “white liquor,” triggering a deadly spill that…