The water tank on the top of the Centennial Mills building came crashing down after a controlled explosion on Monday at 2:30 p.m. (PT).
A large fireball, black smoke, and debris shoots into the air as the loud shockwave from the explosion rips through the Portland Pearl District. The rustic water tank and the truss disappears into the concrete shell of the 116-year old former flour factory. Spectators clap and cheer.
A fire gutted the factory’s interior on August 2, which was made of timber. The building soon turned into a hazard with a risk of collapse. The collapse jeopardize nearby residents, NW Naito Parkway, and disrupted Amtrak service between Portland and Vancouver, Washington.
