Water tower is demolished – with a bang

Label: News article

View full size image of Centennial Mills water tower is demolished in spectacular explosion, with a blast of fire and a cloud of smoke.

A demolition crew successfully brings down the water tower on top of the burned-out Centennial Mills building in Northwest Portland, which was devastated by fire on Aug. 2. Demolishing the rest of the structure could take several weeks.

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 August 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 after the tower came down. "The operation was completed successfully, and we are pleased with the outcome."

Big bang

Photo sequence shows the demolition moment by moment.

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!"

Watch the water tower demolition

Next steps

Hundreds of people flocked to the scene to witness a moment in Portland's history as the Centennial Mills water tower was demolished. Portland Artist Simran Gleason set up his easel near the Centennial Mills building to capture the spectacular moment with oil and canvas.

Now that the water tower has been demolished, work will begin on the rest of the structure. Each floor of the 116-year-old, 8-story disused building collapsed in the fire, leaving a burnt-out shell.

"The demolition contractor will now prepare to take down the remaining walls using a high-reach excavator," Kutch said. "The building remains a collapse hazard, so it is important that people continue to stay away from the site while crews work to complete the demolition safely and efficiently."

City officials expect the building to be dismantled to about half of its current height within two weeks.

The building is still too dangerous for investigators to verify or retrieve any human remains that may be buried in the rubble. The demolition process will play a critical role in the investigation by removing unstable hazards. This will allow investigators to conduct a forensic examination of the locations identified during the K9 searches.

When the building height has been sufficiently reduced, Northwest Naito Parkway will be reopened to traffic between 9th and 15th avenues.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is engaged to ensure proper asbestos abatement protocols are followed and to mitigate airborne hazards, including dust and particulate, as the building is demolished.

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