PORTLAND, OR – A Trader Joe’s grocery store in southeast Portland was closed Wednesday evening after state officials responded to a reported asbestos exposure at the location, authorities said.
The store at 4715 S.E. Cesar E. Chavez Blvd. shut its doors to employees and customers at the request of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. The closure was completed at about 5 p.m., and the store will remain closed until the building is fully decontaminated, according to state officials.
The DEQ said it is coordinating the response with several agencies, including the Oregon Health Authority, Oregon Occupational Safety and Health, and the Multnomah County Health Department. Officials are continuing to collect information and expect to release additional details Thursday morning…