BURNED BUILDING GETS DEMOLISHED
Crews worked Monday to demolish what remained of a downtown Dayton building damaged by a weekend fire allegedly started by two teenagers.
The Dayton Fire Department ordered the emergency demolition after the roof burned and collapsed into the building near the intersection of Bainbridge and Bacon streets.
Emergency demolition renders the building safe so it won’t collapse, but it doesn’t necessarily remove the debris from the site.
The city will pay for the demolition and cleanup because it owned the three-story building, which is in the area proposed for the new Oregon East development.
District Chief David Wright said, “It burned all the roof off, so we have unprotected brick walls — very, very unsafe. We’re worried about collapse into the street, someone being injured close to it.”
Earlier, firefighters determined the blaze was intentionally set and ruled it arson.
Two juveniles, both 16 years old, have been arrested on charges connected to the blaze.
The property is located in an area the city has proposed as part of an Oregon East project.
“We just needed to wait until the fire was completely out, all the hot spots knocked down before we could start dragging things out or taking the building down so you just have to do that so you’re ready for demolition,” Wright said.
Firefighters did not enter the structure to battle the blaze. They had concerns for the building’s structural integrity even before the fire broke out, according to officials.