Staton Companies, a Eugene-based demolition contractor, took down the Centennial Mills water tower at about about 2:30 this afternoon. Thanks to Richard Toscan for the video image above.
Thanks to Emily Davis for this video with an impressive bang, drawing an OMG!
Bottom three videos by Michaela Lowthian.
The city of Portland provided a recap at 5 p.m.
With a fiery blast, a demolition crew today successfully brought down the water tower perched atop the charred shell of the Centennial Mills building, which was gutted by a four-alarm fire on Aug. 2.
Using a controlled detonation, Staton Companies and its subcontractor, DetX, demolished the supports of the tower, which tumbled down inside the building as planned, drawing wild cheers from the crowd that gathered outside the safety perimeter to observe the event.
“We are very pleased with today’s detonation of the water tower,” Portland Permitting & Development Director Eric Kutch said afterward. “The operation was completed successfully, and we are pleased with the outcome.”
Big bang
The air was full of excited chatter as the crowd waited for the big moment. Portlanders snapped selfies with the water tower in the background. Joggers paused mid-stride to take in the scene.
Moments before the detonation, fire trucks sounded blasts on their horns in a postmodern symphony of warning. Tension mounted as the crowd hushed.
“Five, four, three, two, one!” the demo crew leader called out. “Fire in the hole.”
Nothing. Nothing. Then... Ka-BOOM.
A spectacular explosion. A raging inferno. A cloud of smoke. In the blink of an eye, the water tower was obliterated, vanishing into the building’s interior. A halo of dust veiled the ruined structure, now bereft of its rusty crown.
The crowd erupted in applause, cheers and high-fives.
“Oh my GOD!” someone shouted.
“That was the biggest bang I ever heard!”
“That was amazing!”
