City limits access to 2 buildings near explosion

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Cleanup and repairs to the damaged buildings in Northwest Portland continue after last week’s natural gas explosion that injured 8 people.

The City of Portland says it has examined several of the affected buildings and businesses to get a better idea of the damage.

According to the city, the building and business at 500-510 NW 23^rd Avenue, which is the corner of NW 23^rd and Glisan Street, are destroyed are have been deemed a “complete loss.”

The explosion also affected non-structural elements, such as fallen ceiling panels, dislodged exterior wall panels and broken windows to several other buildings in the immediate area.

A spokesperson with the city says additional structural engineering assessment is underway in areas where inspection access was limited or not available.

The city has provided the following account, as of Friday, of its initial inspections to the damaged buildings:

• 522-526 NW 23^rd: Yellow Tag. Roof leaking, broken window panes, water damage, exterior hazard due to danger of loose exterior panels of adjacent building.
• 2281 NW Glisan St.: Yellow Tag. Exterior walls have dislodged cladding, many interior ceiling panels have fallen or on the verge of collapse, a portion of the floor deck is buckled on one level of the building, broken window panes
• 2267 NW Glisan St.: Loosened cornice/parapet, exterior hazard due to danger of loose exterior panels of adjacent building
• 2257 NW Glisan St.: Broken windows now boarded up
• 517 NW 23^rd: Broken and weakened windows now boarded up
• 530 NW 23^rd: Broken windows

A “yellow tag” means limited access into the building.

The city said there are several other buildings in the area have boarded up many windows.