Going, going, gone
Centennial Mills shell comes down in one day
City of Portland news release
4 p.m.
The demolition of the burned-out Centennial Mills building is nearly complete. By 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, almost nothing remained of the disused flour mill but a pile of rubble.
Workers took down the building’s iconic water tower on Monday, and made swift progress in the following hours.
“The rapid progress in the demolition of this building has been remarkable, and it is a credit to the skill and professionalism of the experts tasked with this responsibility,” said Portland Permitting & Development Director Eric Kutch.
The main demolition contractor, hired by the property owner, is Staton Companies, based in Eugene. Staton retained DetX to conduct the controlled detonation of the water tower on Monday. The property owner also hired DCI Engineers for engineering support.
In light of the rapid progress, city officials today advised railroad operators that the building no longer poses a hazard to trains near the site.
Built in 1910, the eight-story building was gutted by a four-alarm fire on Aug. 2 that destroyed the roof and all eight floors, leaving behind a charred shell at high risk of collapse.
The city established a safety perimeter around the site, and closed Northwest Naito Parkway and nearby Fields Park. The city asked rail operators not to run trains in the collapse zone, in case rumbling vibrations should trigger structural failure.
The demolition contractor demolished the building’s water tower on Monday with controlled explosions. Then a giant mechanical arm equipped with a shear that cuts through iron and concrete like a scissors, brought down the walls.
Because asbestos-containing materials may remain at the site, the contractor will continue to monitor for their presence throughout the demolition.
“The site remains dangerous, so it is important that people continue to stay away while crews work to finish the demolition safely and efficiently,” Kutch said.
Once hazards have been removed, investigators will search for clues to the cause of the fire.