Arson Suspected in Oregon City Hall Fire

MILL CITY, Ore. --

Arson is suspected in an explosion and fire that destroyed the Mill City city hall and injured a woman, Linn County deputies said.

Federal, state and local investigators picked through the remains of the building Tuesday for evidence about the suspicious fire, according to sheriff's deputies.

Joy Cronin, the city's finance clerk, suffered burns after she noticed a light inside the building at about 8 p.m. Monday. When she went to get a closer look, the building exploded, said Mill City Mayor Roel Lundquist.

Several people called 911 and reported they heard an explosion at the building, located at 252 SW Cedar St., and firefighters from several cities battles towering flames.

911 Call:

Woman Reports Explosion, Fire

Cronin then ran outside, drove her van a short distance and then called out for help, the mayor said. She was taken to Salem Hospital and then transported to Legacy Emanuel Hospital's burn unit in Portland

"She was doing OK. She’s in serious condition up at Legacy Emanuel and we reach out to her to get well. But, apparently, it isn’t life threatening," Lundquist said.

The mayor said he has no reason to believe the victim was involved in the fire and that he doesn't know of any threats to city hall.

"I mean, there are always people who are disgruntled about the way government operates in general, or the city. But from a practical standpoint, I just don’t understand anybody having enough ire to go ahead and light this up," Lundquist said.

Matthew Beldon, a high school student in Mill City, said he heard a boy saw somebody outside city hall before the fire.

"He saw some guy pretty much throw something into the city hall, then all of a sudden, it blew up," Beldon said.

City leaders said they're concerned about the destruction of city documents -- such as court and budget records -- that are stored in the building. A city council meeting scheduled to be held at the building Tuesday night was relocated to a cafe.

No other buildings were damaged and the structure was insured, Lundquist said.

The Oregon State Police Fire Marshal's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have joined the Linn County investigation.

People who live nearby said it was a surreal experience to see their city hall burning.

"I grabbed my camera and bike and I ran down here," said Carlos De La Cruz, who witnessed the fire. "The fire was just about 30 feet high so I just started taking the pictures and did a video."

The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

Mill City is located on the Santiam River about 30 miles east of Salem.