{
  "id": 3959566,
  "title": "Washington chemical tank was called unfit for service before deadly failure, investigators find",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/washington-chemical-tank-was-called-unfit-for-service-before-deadly",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-28T12:14:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Winnipeg Free Press",
    "slug": "winnipeg-free-press",
    "url": "https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/2026/08/28/washington-chemical-tank-was-called-unfit-for-service-before-deadly-failure-investigators-find"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "An inspection contractor determined a chemical tank at a Washington state paper mill was \"not fit for continued service\" ten months prior to its catastrophic failure in May, resulting in 11 fatalities and marking one of the deadliest workplace disasters in recent U.S. history, according to a federal report published Friday.\n\nThe U.S. Chemical Safety Board's investigation found that the contractor had previously advised Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company to conduct internal inspections and repair the tank's shell, but the company failed to address these recommendations between a July 2025 inspection and the May 2026 incident.\n\nDuring the July 2025 inspection, the contractor identified \"significant thinning\" below the minimum safe thickness in the tank's lower regions, indicating the tank's inability to contain pressure and support its weight. Inspections in October 2025 and February 2026 also revealed that \"large portions of the tank remained thinner than the calculated minimum safe wall thickness.\"\n\nDespite these findings, the company continued to operate the tank without removing it from service or reducing its service. The tank's failure released approximately 900,000 gallons of white liquor, a highly corrosive liquid used in paper production that can cause severe burns. The blast caused extensive damage to surrounding buildings and structures, killing eight workers and injuring several others and a firefighter.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Inspection contractor deemed tank unfit for service in July 2025",
    "Tank's shell showed significant thinning below safe thickness",
    "Company operated tank despite multiple warnings and inspections"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Associated Press",
        "title": "Washington chemical tank was called unfit for service before deadly failure, investigators find",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/washington-chemical-tank-was-called-unfit-for-service-before-deadly-3963528",
        "published": "2026-08-28T12:23:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}