Massive gas explosion destroys Portland bagel building in shopping district, injures 8

Firefighters contain an explosion in NW Portland, Oregon

(Image credit: AP/YouTube)

published 20 October 2016

On Wednesday morning, firefighters in Portland, Oregon, responded to a gas leak at a commercial building anchored by a bagel shop, and then the building exploded, injuring eight people, including three firefighters, two police officers, and three civilians. "When we got there (at 9:10 a.m.), we evacuated the building," said NW Natural Gas spokeswoman Melissa Moore. Twenty minutes later, "there was an ignition. We don't know the source." Along with Portland Bagelworks, a tattoo parlor and an eyewear shop were also destroyed, and a building next door in the busy shopping district in Northwest Portland, on NW 23rd Street, was badly damaged.

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NW Natural's Moore and Brittany Hughes, the manager of Bagelworks, said that a construction crew was excavating next door to the building and hit a natural gas line. In a news conference on Wednesday afternoon, Portland Fire Chief Mike Myers attributed the lack of life-threatening injury or death to early, key decisions by firefighters, especially a lieutenant at the scene. "I have not seen devastation like this in my entire career," he added. You can learn more, including a first-person account of the explosion, in the Associated Press report below. Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.