PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — Union Pacific told the City of Portland it intends to resume rail traffic alongside the burned-out Centennial Mills warehouse in the Pearl District on Sunday, despite the city warning that the “deteriorating” building could collapse.
Portland Fire & Rescue announced the suspension of rail traffic last Sunday (Aug. 2) shortly after getting the massive blaze under control, citing to the ongoing risk of collapse. The city has ordered the property owner to begin demolition by Friday, Aug. 14.
Since the fire, the condition of the building and rooftop water tower has worsened. “Crack widths are increasing,” according to City Administrator Raymond Lee.
READ MORE | Historic Centennial Mills warehouse fire prompts ongoing safety concerns
Despite city objection, Erik Erickson of Union Pacific told the city in a letter on Friday that the company will resume rail operations through the affected corridor on Sunday, Aug. 9.
“Union Pacific recognizes and respects the challenges presented by this incident, including concerns regarding the condition of the remaining structure and the rooftop water tower,” Erickson wrote. “At the same time, Union Pacific must also consider the extent this closure has disrupted passenger rail service between Portland and Seattle, and the freight transportation supporting regional industries, ports, intermodal facilities, and customers throughout the region.”
Union Pacific letter to PortlandPDF preview
Union Pacific told the city of Portland it intends to resume rail traffic near the Centennial Mills building.
To mitigate risk, Union Pacific will position personnel during train operations, place loaded ballast cars on the eastern track, operate trains no faster than 10 mph, and not allow trains carrying toxic or hazardous material through the corridor.
In response, Lee told Union Pacific there is “significant danger posed by rail traffic” near the Centennial Mills building.
“If the building collapses, whether in whole or in part,” Lee wrote on Saturday, “there is a strong possibility that the train will be hit or impacted by the collapse.”
“The building’s stability has continued to deteriorate,” Lee continued. “The walls and the structural footings for the water tank continue to show signs of movement and degradation; crack widths are increasing, and since Sunday, Aug. 2, we have seen the walls lean and move in different directions. Currently, the building is leaning west, which is toward Naito Parkway and the rail lines.”
Neighbors in the Pearl District adjacent to the tracks, said they fear an uncontrolled collapse.
“It’s worrisome if that thing goes down, which way is it going to go,” said Linda Miller, who lives near the Centennial Mills building. “And how far, with the water tower, is it going to impact the neighborhood?”
“[It’s] scary,” Miller added. “If I lived down there, even closer than I do, I’d be really worried about it. The vibrations must have a huge impact. The building cannot be stable. There’s no infrastructure inside to maintain, and I think that I’ll be waiting for the kaboom in the dark of night.”
Miller said she also understands the pressure the railroad company is facing.
“I think that commerce is screaming, and so there are probably people who are putting a lot of pressure on the decision makers,” she said.
Portland response to Union Pacific letterPDF preview
City Administrator Raymond Lee response to Union Pacific resuming rail traffic near Centennial Mills.
In addition to the actions Union Pacific said it would take to mitigate risk, Lee said the city “must also insist” that UP have a hazmat team on site at all times, as well as vibration-monitoring devices on site to warn of an imminent collapse.
In a statement to KATU, a spokesperson for Union Pacific said, “Union Pacific recognizes and respects the challenges presented by this incident, but we are also mindful of the extent the closure of this critical rail corridor has had on freight traffic, disrupting services for regional industries, businesses ports, and consumer goods. We are reviewing and considering the city’s requests.”
A cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Lt. Jason Andersen of Portland Fire & Rescue is the lead investigator on the case, and told KATU they have not ruled out arson.
On Friday, police announced there is a “high likelihood” that human remains are buried underneath the crumbled building. How the building is demolished will impact how investigators uncover any evidence.
Andersen said on Saturday that their “number one concern is the overall safety of the public. Any unplanned collapse of the building could endanger the public and nearby community.”
A collapse hindering the investigation is a “less weighted concern,” he said.
Linda Miller said her message to the city is to “hire engineers, lots of them, so that they can be advised sensibly on what is a good decision, what isn’t, and how to do it so that people aren’t hurt and land isn’t damaged, and it’s the best outcome they can come up with.”
