Portland athletic club partially ‘destroyed’ after former employee drives explosives-filled car into building, sources say
A disgruntled former employee of the Multnomah Athletic Club drove a car packed with explosives into the exclusive facility on the edge of downtown Portland early Saturday morning, causing massive damage before dying in a fiery wreck, two law enforcement sources with direct knowledge of the situation told the Oregonian.
Investigators believe that the former employee rented a black Nissan Rogue on Friday, which he used to drive into the building, careening around the first floor before setting off the explosive devices, believed to be a mix of propane tanks and pipe bombs, according to one of those sources.
Some of the devices detonated and some did not, the two sources said. Emergency responders extinguished the blaze around 3 a.m., Portland police said in a news release.
The ground floor of the building was “completely destroyed” and suffered “millions of dollars in damages,” said one of the law enforcement sources, who requested anonymity because the investigation is still ongoing.
In an email to members, club officials announced that the sprawling facility — which includes three pools, multiple event spaces and restaurants, workout facilities and overlooks Providence Park — was closed Saturday “until further notice.”
“No MAC employees or members were injured,” in the incident, general manager Charles Leverton wrote to members. He asked members to avoid coming to the club or surrounding areas for the time being.
By Saturday afternoon, photos of the damage and video that appeared to be from security camera footage had begun circulating among club members and were shared with The Oregonian/OregonLive. Leverton said the footage had been shared “without authorization,” in an email update sent to members.
“While we are still evaluating the full extent, the damage is significant but contained to a portion of the facility,” he wrote. “While much remains unknown and the investigation is ongoing, it is clear that this is a difficult moment for our entire community.”
Club materials say it is the among the largest private athletic and social clubs in the United States, with more than 21,000 members, among them some of Portland’s most prominent movers and shakers. Family dues are $422.34 per month, and $280.11 for an individual.
The club’s first floor was home to a casual restaurant, formal event spaces, a members’ lounge overlooking Providence Park, a retail store and the front desk. The damage was to the building’s first floor; the building has multiple stories, with workout facilities, a rock-climbing wall, pools, locker rooms, an indoor track, racquet sport courts and other amenities throughout.
Police closed off Southwest Salmon Street and a portion of Southwest 20th Avenue on Saturday. According to a statement on the club’s website, both local and federal law enforcement, including agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, are investigating the incident.