Widmer Brewing seals refrigeration leak after ammonia release in basement

Commercial breweries rely on chemical refrigerants to maintain cold storage conditions. At 2:58 p.m. on Wednesday, Portland Fire and Rescue received a dispatch for a mechanical failure at the Widmer Brewing facility in the Eliot Neighborhood of North Portland.

The initial response involved Station 13 and a chief officer. When the team identified the leaked substance as ammonia, they upgraded the incident to a Hazardous Materials event. The PF&R Hazmat Coordinator arrived at the scene while the on-duty Hazmat Team monitored operations from a distance to guide tactical decisions.

Ammonia serves as a coolant in commercial brewing systems. Low concentrations irritate the eyes and respiratory tract, while high levels can act as an asphyxiant. The gas also presents a flammability risk at specific atmospheric concentrations. Upon arrival, Station 13 confirmed that all employees had evacuated the building.

Crews investigated the basement under the direction of the Hazmat Team and the on-duty Deputy Chief. The team located the source of the leak and closed the large king valve, which halted the flow of ammonia into the system. Two independent gas monitors recorded different readings based on their placement. One unit detected very low levels of ammonia, while the second recorded zero parts per million.

The facility includes a safety system that automatically closes roll-up doors if dangerous concentrations are detected. The trapped gas never reached the threshold required to trigger this mechanical barrier. Firefighters used the building's in-house exhaust system to ventilate the basement and remove the remaining gas.

Personnel who entered the affected area decontaminated their equipment at the scene before returning to active duty. The staff at Widmer Brewing are accounted for, and no injuries were reported. The brewery staff assisted the fire department in managing the emergency at the facility.

The incident concluded with the successful isolation of the refrigeration system and the ventilation of the basement area.