An oxygen-acetylene welding set-up inside a shipping container leaked, causing an explosion early Friday morning damaging several buildings in NE Bend. Bend Fire & Rescue says it happened just before 5:30am Aug. 29 outside Kercher Electric on NE Yale Avenue. Debris from the explosion landed on the Bend Parkway. Several vehicles hit the debris and Bend Fire says at least one sustained a punctured fuel tank. Six businesses in the area received damage to windows, doors and walls. The City of Bend Building Department deemed Kercher Electric and a neighboring business, Arbor Builders, unsafe with “Do Not Occupy” tags. No one was inside any of the businesses at the time of the explosion.
Bend Fire & Rescue says gas cylinders should be stored in well-ventilated areas away from direct sunlight, high temperatures, away from ignition sources and secured upright to prevent tipping over. Bend Fire says always store cylinders with the valve in the “off” position. More safety tips can be found here.
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