A pulp mill company ignored three explicit warnings about a corroded tank before it catastrophically failed and killed 11 workers, including an expectant father who left home early that morning for an ultrasound appointment he would never attend, according to a wrongful death lawsuit filed in Washington state.

Tank Released 900,000 Gallons of Caustic Chemical

Mackenzie Ammons filed the lawsuit Wednesday in Cowlitz County Superior Court against Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company LLC, which operates the Longview mill where her husband Jared died on May 26. The complaint alleges a massive tank holding white liquor, a highly alkaline chemical solution capable of dissolving human skin and muscle on contact, suffered complete structural failure and released approximately 900,000 gallons of the caustic liquid across the facility grounds.

The wave of chemicals crossed a courtyard and crashed into the electrical maintenance shop where Ammons and seven coworkers were working, according to the lawsuit. The chemical blasted through walls, doors and windows with such force that the workers had no time to escape. Eight workers in the electrical shop died, along with two in a mechanical shop and one in the courtyard. Two employees who escaped suffered serious chemical burns.

Inspection Contractor Declared Tank Unfit for Service

The lawsuit alleges Nippon Dynawave received three separate warnings between July 2025 and February 2026 that the tank’s steel walls had corroded severely and fallen below minimum safe thickness levels. Applied Technical Services, the inspection contractor, explicitly told the company the tank was not fit for continued service unless repaired and warned of high failure likelihood, according to the complaint. Despite these warnings, the company allegedly did not take the tank out of service, repair it, reduce its use, or warn workers of the danger.

Attorney Simeon Osborn of Osborn Machler and Neff stated this was not an accident but an inevitable result of choosing profits over people. The company declined to comment on the allegations, citing active litigation, but said it remains committed to approaching this difficult time with compassion and respect for those affected and the Longview community.

Widow Expecting Child Her Husband Never Saw

Mackenzie Ammons, due to give birth in December, said she and her husband had learned of the pregnancy the week before the disaster. Jared had gone to work early that morning specifically so he could leave in time for the ultrasound appointment, their first chance to see their unborn child. She said grieving while pregnant has been extraordinarily difficult, adding extra emotions to everything. The lawsuit seeks general damages to be proven at trial, attorney fees, and other appropriate relief. The Washington Department of Labor and Industries continues investigating the disaster.