In an incident that could have easily ended in tragedy, Shane Reimche of Eugene, Oregon, narrowly escaped being sliced in half by a runaway concrete saw blade as he entered a local store. The startling event unfolded on a routine Thursday morning at Quicktrips Neighborhood Market when a large saw blade broke free from a nearby construction site.
Surveillance footage captures the hair-raising moment when Reimche casually entered the store. Just seconds later, the runaway blade, which had come loose from equipment used by contractors working for Northwest Natural Gas, hurtled across the parking lot, slipping between parked cars and slamming into the store’s exterior wall right next to where Reimche had just stood.
Oregon man narrowly escapes giant spinning concrete blade loosed from a nearby worksite. pic.twitter.com/UrCGNZ6S2d
— ToolRev (@toolrev) January 13, 2025
Reimche described hearing a loud bang and yelling just before the blade struck. “I put my hand on the door and I heard a loud bang and yelling here at the corner,” he recalled. “Just as a cloud of smoke pops up and I see a guy fall in the ditch. And a 4-foot blade hurtling at me.” Fortunately, Reimche was able to duck behind the counter just in time, a move that likely saved his life.
The impact was so forceful that it shook the entire store, according to the store owner, Amit Grewal, who witnessed the chaos on security cameras. “It was just wind, all of a sudden we heard a loud bang, it shook the whole store,” Grewal stated. The blade embedded itself nearly two feet into the wall, necessitating three men to remove it later.
Investigations into the incident point towards potential operator error or equipment failure as the cause of the blade detachment. A contractor at the scene suggested that a loose bolt might have been to blame. In response, Northwest Natural Gas announced they were reviewing their association with the contractor involved and had temporarily suspended them from further work.
Despite the trauma, Reimche humorously noted his immediate reaction was to need a beer to calm his nerves, indicating a mix of relief and shock at his narrow escape. The incident not only left a physical mark on the store but also a lasting impression on the community, highlighting the unpredictable dangers of construction work and the importance of stringent safety measures.
