‘It sounded like a shotgun’: Heavy water damages Everett business
Published 3:10 pm Wednesday, March 18, 2026
EVERETT — Thousands of pounds of water pooling on the roof of an Everett business caused extensive damage Wednesday morning, forcing the city to condemn the building until repairs are made.
Around 8:30 am. Wednesday, one of the ceiling beams at Northwest Barricade & Signs in the 3000 block of Broadway cracked due to water collecting on the building’s flat roof, said Rob Penner, a fleet manager at the business. Two center beams now hang a foot lower due to the water damage.
Northwest Barricade & Signs provides custom signs, barricades for construction work zones and flagging services, among other equipment and traffic control needs.
Debris clogging the drain caused the water to collect, Penner said. Office employees in the building at the time said the beam made a big popping sound.
“It sounded like a shotgun,” Penner said.
Thirty minutes later, an Everett fire ladder truck arrived at the scene, said Rachael Doniger, an Everett Fire Department spokesperson. Upon arrival, employees had already begun draining the roof.
It took around 45 minutes to drain the water, Penner said.
The estimated 65,000 pounds of water caused significant damage to the structural elements, putting the building in danger of collapse, according to a condemnation notice from the City of Everett Code Enforcement unit.
“Due to these conditions the ENTIRE STRUCTURE on the property referenced above is unfit for human habitation,” the notice said.
The structure must be vacated immediately, the notice said
The company is in contact with its insurance, CEO Jera Kane said. At this time, the company is hoping a structural engineer can help them get back into the building.
Jenna Millikan: 425-339-3035; jenna.millikan@heraldnet.com. X: @JennaMillikan
