Union Pacific announces plans to resume freight operation near Centennial Mills building; City of Portland warns of health and safety risks

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Union Pacific Railroad has notified the City of Portland that it will resume freight operations on rail lines adjacent to the Centennial Mills building beginning Sunday, Aug. 9 - a decision characterized by city officials as a significant risk to health and safety. Despite Union Pacific's commitment to delay trains with hazardous materials until Aug. 21, the City of Portland remains concerned about the risk of freight traffic until the building is safely demolished.

Rail operations adjacent to the hollowed warehouse on Northwest Naito Parkway have been interrupted since a four-alarm fire Aug. 2. The rail lines fall within the safety perimeter established by the City to protect public health and safety in the event of a building collapse.

"The safety of our community members and the environment adjacent to the site is our highest concern,"City Administrator Raymond C. Lee III said in a written response to Union Pacific, "and engineers advise that any movement in the area may cause a collapse that will endanger life and property."

The letter details the risks, including the potential for a passing train to trigger the collapse of the building, resulting in death or serious injury to those on the train and damage to surrounding property. The City urged Union Pacific - if they proceed with their plan to resume rail traffic - to stage a hazmat team near the rail line and deploy devices to monitor vibrations near the building to warn of imminent collapse.

The City of Portland has not received notice that passenger rail services will resume on the rail lines adjacent to Centennial Mills. The tracks are also a major thoroughfare for Amtrak, which has replaced trains with buses between Portland and Seattle since the fire.

While protecting immediate health and safety, the City is working toward long-term stabilization. On Aug. 6, Portland Permitting & Development issued the property owner a Notification of Dangerous Structure and Order to Demolish the building, with controlled demolition required to begin by Friday Aug. 14. Fire & Rescue's lead investigator will be embedded in the demolition process, as recent canine sweeps detected the possibility of human remains in the rubble, and unstable structural hazards must be removed to provide safe access for investigators.

City officials remind everyone to stay away from the area, which remains an active investigation scene; road-closure barricades should be respected. People have been observed crossing the caution tape and entering the closure area around Centennial Mills. The community may begin hearing a safety message from the Portland Police Bureau or Portland Fire & Rescue over a loudspeaker when they observe people in the closure area.

Retrieval of vehicles within the safety perimeter

The City will provide a limited window of access for owners to retrieve their vehicles parked within the safety perimeter on Sunday, Aug. 9 between 8-10 a.m. If your vehicle is located within the perimeter and you want to retrieve it, please contact [email protected] at the City Attorney's Office to obtain a waiver of risk of death or serious physical injury for your signature.