PORTLAND, Ore. — Demolition of an abandoned church in downtown Portland that was significantly damaged in a fire early Tuesday evening has been delayed.
The demolition project was set to begin Thursday morning, but Portland Fire & Rescue tweeted that it was delayed and would not start in the morning. PF&R has not released further details about when the demolition will begin.
Personnel with the city engineer's office evaluated the stability of the wooden church Wednesday morning and deemed it unsafe, approving the demolition project to start on Jan. 5. The timeline to remove the church was sped up because the building puts the surrounding area in danger, impacts street and sidewalk traffic and has temporarily paused Portland Streetcar operations in the area, PF&R said.
Fire crews first responded at around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to Southwest 10th Avenue and Clay Street. Built in 1905, the three-story, 3,000-square foot building was formerly home to the Portland Korean Church but has been permanently closed and vacant for years.
Crews called additional resources to get the fire under control. A large plume of smoke could be seen for blocks. Fire officials said there were concerns the church could collapse and take out the overhead streetcar power lines.
"We kind of have a lot of concerns coming together all at once," said Rick Graves, a spokesperson for PF&R, on Tuesday night. "There's a structure on the backside, a home, that had a little bit of fire hinging on it as well."
Fire did get into the walls and possibly the attic of the nearby home, located about 10 feet east of the church, but Graves said quick work by fire crews saved the home. Five residents were displaced.
About 80 firefighters worked to put out the large blaze.
PHOTOS: Portland church fire
Portland Fire said it knows the building well. It caught fire in September 2020 and fire officials said that fire was severe enough that it left holes in the floor.
The building has been labeled "unsafe for entry" by the PF&R Fire Preventions Division, and they installed a plaque on the building with a letter U to signal the fact. That's why firefighters only fought the flames from the outside.
Officials have worked with the building's owner to make sure the church was closed and secure to prevent people from getting inside. That includes boarding over all lower-level windows and doors, PF&R said.
According to city records, the property is owned by local dentist Dr. Hadi Nouredine. The property's market value is listed at just over $1 million dollars. Nouredine declined to comment about the property or the fire. KGW has learned that the property received several code violations over the last couple of years, ranging from loose shingles on the building to an electrical violation two years ago. Both of those instances were fixed and repaired by the owner.
Vacant buildings deemed unsafe for entry are supposed to be checked regularly by prevention specialists, and PF&R said the church’s most recent evaluation was on Dec. 30, 2022.
"A week ago it was marked safe and locked up by the owner, through our fire marshal's office — that was validated," Graves said.
Graves said be believes the church was unoccupied at the time of the fire. No injuries were reported.
There's no word yet on how the fire started. Two investigators were on scene to determine the cause of the fire.
Southwest Clay Street, from 11th Avenue to Park Street, and 10th Avenue, between Columbia Street and Market Street, remained closed to pedestrian and drivers Wednesday. PF&R said safety barricades and fencing are set up, and advised people to avoid the area and plan ahead.
PF&R crews will remain on site to monitor the building and "provide any fire suppression needs if needed." PF&R and the Portland Bureau of Transportation will provide updates on the building and street and sidewalk closures on their Twitter pages.