Leaking propane tank explodes, damaging 8 food carts and 2 buildings in Southeast Portland

Southeast Portland residents were awakened by a large explosion early Tuesday morning at a food cart pod.

The explosion happened at the Springwater Cart Park, located at 8145 SE 82nd Ave., at about 4:45 a.m. The area used to be known as Cartlandia.

Shayley Williams, who was asleep in the apartment across the road, was one of many locals who heard it miles away.

“In the middle of the night, all of a sudden, I heard the loudest noise I’ve ever heard,” Williams said.

“It shook my entire apartment. All of the car alarms in the parking lot went off. It was crazy. I genuinely thought a bomb went off.”

Shattered glass and debris from the explosion covered a large area. Eight food carts were damaged as well as two nearby permanent structures.

Jessi Singh owns the Best Taste of India food cart. He said the explosion sent a shock wave through all the carts, causing significant damage.

“The food cart shook and a lot of stuff fell down,” Singh said. He was at home at the time of the explosion.

Singh estimates it will take him a couple of days to clean up before opening again.

Rick Graves with the Portland Fire Department said a propane fuel canister inside one of the carts was leaking, trapped inside until it reached an ignition source.

“Anybody who’s operating any sort of propane tank in an enclosed environment, whether that be your garage heater or a barbecue inside, just be certain that when you’re not actually using it to tighten the valve and close all gas flow,” Graves said.

Portland Police say nobody was injured in the explosion.