Local

8 injured in Portland after building explosion

Three firefighters, two police officers and three civilians were injured in a reported explosion in northwest Portland. Two firefighters have broken legs and one is need of surgery, fire officials said Wednesday afternoon.

Key developments:

  • 8 people injured
  • Firefighters were inside building at the time of explosion
  • Among injured: 3 firefighters, 2 police officers
  • No deaths reported
  • 3rd party caused damage to gas line
  • Gas explosion destroys building on NW 23rd in Portland

According to KOIN News, the gas incident happened on Wednesday near NW 23rd Avenue and Glisan Street around 9 a.m.

>> See photos from the scene here. 

Utility company NW Natural said that a third-party caused damage to a gas line, but the ignition cause is unknown.

The COO of Dosha Salon Spa Kimberly Johnson tells KOIN 6 News that the salon was evacuated before the explosion happened. She said all of her employees were safe.

Two explosions were then heard, sending plumes of smoke over northwest Portland. Witnesses tell KOIN News they heard a loud explosion and buildings in the area shook.

Portland Fire & Rescue is responding to the scene as a four-alarm gas fire incident.

The explosion appears to have been at Portland Bagelworks.Twitter user @DrawDavePlay shared a photo of what he called the aftermath of the explosion.

The owner of the shop told KATU News all his employees are accounted for; next door to the bagel shop, a building had its windows blown out.

Earlier this year, a massive explosion leveled a building, destroyed businesses and injured nine firefighters in Seattle's Greenwood neighborhood.

The Utilities and Transportation Commission says the cause of the Greenwood explosion that devastated part of the business core in March was a damaged gas line that was listed as abandoned in Puget Sound Energy records but remained connected for years.

>> UTC: Greenwood explosion caused by unsealed, damaged pipeline

According to UTC, the broken gas service line was one that PSE records showed as abandoned in 2004. At the time, PSE failed to properly disconnect and seal the line, allowing it to remain in service for nearly 12 years without proper oversight, a news release said.

The investigation found the immediate cause of the explosion was possibly a homeless person who accessed a space near the pipe without proper authorization. That person "applied force" to the gas line.

>> Before-and-after photos: Greenwood explosion

The cause of Portland's building explosion has not been confirmed as Wednesday morning.

Stay with kiro7.com for updates.

Cox Media Group

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