Cause of Newberg Motel Blast Puzzling

Investigators don’t know what touched off an explosion in a motel room in the Willamette valley town Newberg, but they have ruled out a meth lab or a gas line as causes.

Newberg-Dundee Police Capt. Jeff Kosmicki said investigators are still gathering evidence at the Best Western Newberg Inn, where a 3 a.m. blast Thursday forced the evacuation of 123 guests.

Kosmicki said in a statement that a 29-year-old man critically burned in the explosion is considered a suspect, but no arrests have been made. He was flown to a Portland-area hospital.

There were no obvious injuries to the 26-year-old woman and 2-year-old girl staying in the room, but they were taken to the hospital as a precaution.