PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — Areas of Portland’s Pearl District in Northwest Portland have tested positive for asbestos three days after a massive fire ripped through the Centennial Mills warehouse, according to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
Multiple neighbors in different apartment complexes and condominiums next to the destroyed warehouse told KATU on Wednesday afternoon they got a message from their property management Wednesday morning about debris and ash that dropped onto roofs and balconies.
RELATED: Historic Centennial Mills warehouse fire prompts ongoing safety concerns
One email shared with KATU warned residents, “Testing of debris collected in the neighborhood has confirmed the presence of asbestos,” and “Until additional guidance is received, please do not touch, move, sweep, vacuum, or otherwise disturb suspected debris.”
“We got notified that there was asbestos in the building and that it was out there, and that [the property management is] looking into getting people that can process that stuff legally to do cleanup around our place now,” said nearby resident Daniel Jacobs.
The warning came after some residents said they already cleaned up the dust.
“On the penthouses on the roof, they said it looked like somebody threw a bucket of briquettes on their patio and some of them had their carpets burned,” said Pearl District Neighborhood Association President and neighbor Bruce Studer. “It was a mess. It’s a lot worse than what people think.”
“DEQ understands the concerns of neighbors in the community about asbestos and other potential environmental impacts from the fire,” a spokesperson for DEQ told KATU on Wednesday evening. “We provided technical assistance to the local authorities leading the incident response by coordinating with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and its contractors on taking air and building debris samples for analysis.”
On Wednesday, Portland Parks & Recreation also closed off The Fields Park across the street from the Centennial Mills building Wednesday morning, with a plan to stay closed “until experts determine the area is safe from debris or other hazards.”
On Wednesday afternoon, specially trained K-9s did another sweep of the warehouse to search for remains as a precaution, with no findings, according to Portland Fire & Rescue. Fire crews have finished mapping the interior and exterior, but people are still advised to avoid the area.
Residents in the Pearl District told KATU they feel there has been a lack of crucial communication.
“It’s just disappointing,” Studor said. “I know there’s other things going on, but to us, this is the most important thing in the city, and it’s got health concerns, it’s got, you know, people are worried, I mean for their pets, for their animals, for their kids; it’s a dangerous situation.”
“We just need to know, you know, what’s our next step,” he added.
“I really think that having somebody be able to tell us what’s going on a little bit quicker would have been nice,” said Jacobs. “We had to seek out and get information, and of course we’re hearing rumors about the process.”
“We were out there [during the fire] and we probably shouldn’t have been breathing the air,” Jacobs added. “And to find, to kind of recall that there’s asbestos in there; I don’t know how much it hurts you.”
On Wednesday evening, the city of Portland published a page on the city’s website with the latest updates: Centennial Mills Fire.
The cause of Sunday’s fire is still under investigation.
The DEQ warns anyone who cleans up ash and debris from a fire to wear a mask and waterproof gloves, wet down or soak the debris with water, double bag the material with your gloves and mask in the second bag, dispose of the bags, and finally wash your hands, body, and clothes. Additionally, officials urge people to keep shoes by the door and wash your pet’s feet when coming inside your home.
