Updated

Updated · Fox 12 Oregon · Aug 3

Portland's 116-Year-Old Centennial Mills Warehouse Burns, Threatening Overnight Collapse

Updated

Updated · Fox 12 Oregon · Aug 3

Portland's 116-Year-Old Centennial Mills Warehouse Burns, Threatening Overnight Collapse

Q: What sparked the massive blaze that finally brought down Portland's historic but hazardous flour mill?

The cause of the Centennial Mills fire had not been determined in the reports available, so there is no confirmed spark identified yet. What officials did say is that the blaze was first reported on the warehouse’s first floor just before 4 p.m. Sunday and spread rapidly through the 116-year-old structure. The building’s condition helped turn it into a major fire: it had holes in the floors, removed stairwells, weakened heavy timber framing, and no safe interior access for firefighters. That old timber construction also provided abundant fuel as parts of the interior collapsed. Authorities reported no injuries and said no one was believed to be inside, though police had recently dealt with squatting concerns at the vacant site. Given those circumstances, investigators would likely examine multiple possible causes, but based on the available news accounts, officials had not publicly announced what ignited the fire.

3 articles · Updated · Fox 12 Oregon · Aug 3

Portland fire officials said the vacant Centennial Mills warehouse is expected to collapse overnight, or be carefully demolished if it remains standing after Sunday's blaze.
88 firefighters — about half of Portland Fire and Rescue's workforce — responded after flames were reported just before 4 p.m., but crews could not enter because of missing stairwells, holes in floors and unstable heavy-timber construction.
Firefighters attacked the blaze from the river and by air as flames were visible for miles; officials said no one was inside and no injuries were reported.
The 116-year-old Pearl District landmark had recently drawn police attention over squatting concerns and was slated for redevelopment to improve public access to the Willamette River.