Powerful explosion at an industrial complex in Canby has destroyed a manufacturing site and forced dozens of nearby households to evacuate. The explosion happened at Kittyhawk Products, which focuses on hot isostatic pressing for aerospace and defense, along South Redwood Street.
The Moment of Impact
The incident occurred at about 3:45 PM on Tuesday. According to the Canby Fire Department, one of two large 15-foot-tall vertical tanks that treated metal parts under extreme pressure and heat failed. This explosion was so severe it tore up the entire building roof and threw heavy metal shrapnel and insulation all over it.
Nearby residents reported their homes shaking as if shaken in an earthquake. "I heard a loud boom and looked up to see a large bubble forming out of the roof before it just popped," a local business owner reported. Metal debris was discovered several hundred feet nearby where other pieces landed on the roofs of residential homes, causing damage to adjacent properties, including the Canby Utility building.
Casualties and Evacuations
Three employees at the facility were at the moment of the blast. Only one worker, however, sustained injuries. The person was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment; authorities said the injuries are non-life-threatening and the worker will recover. Owing to the safety hazards associated with an intact but unstable superheated pressurized tank, Clackamas County officials declared a hazardous materials emergency.
- Evacuation Zone: 600-foot radius affecting around 100 homes and two apartment buildings.
- School Closures: Two local schools were closed the following day as a precaution while the facility was secured.
- Shelter: The American Red Cross established an emergency shelter for displaced families at Baker Prairie Middle School.
Investigation and Recovery
The evacuation orders were lifted on Wednesday morning after technical experts proved that the remaining equipment was cooled to safe temperatures. However, the Kittyhawk building currently is declared structurally unsound by authority and at present not fit for entry. Fire Chief Matt Dale, on Wednesday, said that despite extensive property damage there had been a "very successful" result at present with no fatalities. Investigators from the State Fire Marshal’s office are working to investigate why the high-pressure argon gas system failed.
