Union Pacific Railroad told the city of Portland it would resume freight train operations on Sunday following the closure of a stretch of railway near the site of the 116-year-old Centennial Mills warehouse, a week after it burned.
Fire officials have warned that the remains of the charred building are extremely unstable and at risk of collapse. In a news release Saturday, the city described the railroad’s decision as a “significant risk to health and safety,” saying vibrations from passing rail cars could bring the building down.
The railroad had previously promised the city that it would delay trains carrying hazardous materials until Aug. 21, which would be seven days after the city’s deadline for the building’s owner to begin demolition of the warehouse.
Concerned about a potential uncontrolled collapse of the building and the large water tower atop it, the city closed nearby Fields Park and warned community members to avoid the site. Amtrak said Friday it would suspend all passenger trains between Union Station and Vancouver, Washington, indefinitely, forcing riders to use buses to travel between the two…