Early in the morning of Friday, August 29, 2025, multiple 911 callers across Bend reported hearing a loud explosion, but there was no identified location or source for the explosion. A few minutes later, at 5:34 am, a 911 caller reported multiple cars striking debris on the Bend Parkway, with one of the vehicles sustaining a punctured fuel tank. Fire crews arrived on scene and were able to mitigate the fuel leak. The source of the debris was found to be a large explosion that occurred at Kercher Electric, 132 NE Yale Avenue. A shipping container located outside the business had exploded, resulting in several businesses in the area sustaining damage to windows, doors, and walls. Two businesses, Kercher Electric and the neighboring Arbor Builders, sustained significant structural damage and were tagged “Do Not Occupy” by the City of Bend Building Department. A total of six businesses received some degree of damage as a result of the explosion. All the businesses were unoccupied at the time of the explosion due to the early hour.
Upon investigation, it was found that an oxygen – acetylene welding setup inside the shipping container leaked, causing the closed shipping container to fill with the highly flammable mixture of oxygen and acetylene. There was also an upright freezer in use, powered by an extension cord running into the shipping container. This energized equipment provided an ignition source for the flammable vapors, causing the subsequent explosion.
Bend Fire & Rescue would like to remind the community to store flammable gases safely. Gas cylinders should be stored in well-ventilated areas away from direct sunlight and high temperatures, clear of any ignition sources, and secured upright to prevent tipping over. Always store cylinders with the valve in the “off” position. For more safety information regarding compressed gases, visit the OSHA website at https://osha.oregon.gov/
