The April 25th early morning natural gas explosion that rocked North Bend and destroyed three buildings on North Bend Way is still under investigation by fire marshals.
Impacted structures in the surrounding area were being evaluated. Due to damage at the apartment building directly across the street, the Red Cross was standing by to provide temporary shelter if needed. One resident reported a nearby home was knocked off its foundation and condemned, the occupants forced to vacate.
Debris that stretched for blocks was removed Friday afternoon. North Bend city officials warned that East North Bend Way between Downing and Orchard would remain closed for an “indefinite period,” but by Saturday the road was re-opened and the explosion site fenced off.
In an Friday press conference, a Puget Sound Energy (PSE) spokesperson said they were working diligently to determine the source of the suspected natural gas that caused the explosion, but that safety was their main concern in the hours after the blast.
The explosion occurred in the former Pizza Place building, which was under renovation to re-open as a new restaurant. Last Cut East barber shop, as well as the adjacent strip mall, were also destroyed or severely damaged by the blast.
PSE had not been called to the buildings in the preceding days for any work requests, according to the spokesman.
Around 1:30PM Friday, PSE crews received fire department clearance to begin work on power lines damaged by the explosion and subsequent fire. They had power restored the remaining 100 customers without power, including the nearby Si View Court apartment complex, by 8:30PM. As many as 1500 customers lost power right after the explosion.
For photos and more information on the large explosion, visit our earlier story HERE.
