Attorney General’s Office given investigative authority into Longview paper mill tragedy

Following the fatal disaster at Nippon Dynawave Packaging in Longview in May, the Attorney General's Office confirmed today it has been granted concurrent jurisdiction by the Cowlitz County prosecutor to investigate any potential criminal activity that contributed to the tragedy and initiate any prosecution arising out of the investigation.

The office does not raise allegations or presume any wrongdoing or criminal activity contributed to the disaster at this time. The office is only beginning what will be a thorough examination of potential violations of state law associated with this tragic incident.

"Our office has unique expertise and resources, and we are ready to answer the call from local law enforcement when they need our assistance in complex cases," said Attorney General Nick Brown. "Washington deserves a thorough investigation to make sure a tragedy like this never happens again."

The disaster occurred on May 26 at the Nippon Dynawave facility when a tank containing a chemical used in paper production ruptured, releasing more than 500,000 gallons of highly caustic liquid. The disaster killed 11 workers and injured many more, making it one of the deadliest industrial accidents in recent history.

The AG's office has significant expertise in cases involving industrial and environmental incidents and the specialized resources needed to conduct a complex legal investigation.

Under state law, the AG's office may only undertake criminal prosecutions at the request of a county Prosecuting Attorney or the Governor. Given the scale of the event and its tragic consequences, the AG's office contacted the office of the Cowlitz County prosecutor and offered to assist in the investigation into the disaster at Nippon Dynawave. Cowlitz County Prosecuting Attorney Ryan Jurvakainen accepted this offer and granted the AG's office concurrent authority.

The AG's office is not able to provide any additional information at this time.

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