Police: Two burned in NE Bend hash oil blast

(Update: Police say hash oil lab caused explosion; man, woman in fair condition at Portland hospital)

Two northeast Bend residents were seriously burned and a 3-year-old girl escaped injury in an explosion inside a duplex Sunday evening that police said was due to the illegal manufacture of butane “honey” hash oil.

Police and firefighters were dispatched around 5:30 p.m. to several citizen reports of a loud boom in the area of Northeast Weddell Road and Hidden Valley Drive, Lt. Clint Burleigh said.

Arriving officers determined an explosion had occurred in a duplex in the 3000 block of Weddell Road, he said.

Officers learned that David Carl Paulsen and Jennifer Rose Paulsen, 32, were in the residence, along with a 3-year-old girl, at the time of the explosion.

The man and woman sustained serious burns and were taken by ambulance to St. Charles Bend, Burleigh said. The girl did not sustain any obvious injury but was taken to the hospital for a precautionary evaluation.

The adult burn victims were later transfered to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland, where a spokeswoman said they were in fair condition Monday night.

The blast caused significant damage to the duplex and also led to evacuation of the neighboring duplex resident until the structure could be made safe, the lieutenant said.

The initial investigation suggested the explosion was caused by illegal manufacture of butane hey-hash oil, Burleigh said.

Investigators obtained a search warrant, which was executed at the duplex around midnight.

Investigators found evidence showing the explosion likely was caused by butane being used to extract THC for the manufacture of hash oil (butane honey oil, or BHO).

“Hash oil,” also known as “honey oil,” is derived from marijuana, Burleigh said The “hash” or “honey” is concentrated Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

“Hash oil” is manufactured by utilizing highly flammable materials, such as Butane, to refine and concentrate the THC, making a product which can range upwards to 90% THC content. Today’s marijuana sold in recreational and medical dispensaries typically have THC content ranging from 15% to 20%, and some as high as 30%.

“There has been a dramatic increase in the number of marijuana BHO lab explosions in Oregon in recent years,” Burleigh said.

Bend Fire and Rescue, the Oregon State Police Arson and Explosives unit, the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) Team, the state Department of Human Services Child Welfare and the American Red Cross are assisting with the investigation.

At this time, no arrests have been made or charges filed, Burleigh said.

Anyone with information regarding the investigation is asked to contact the Bend Police Department at 541-693-6911.

One neighbor had told NewsChannel 21 earlier Monday that someone in the the unit possibly was making butane honey oil, an extract of cannabis that’s usually consumed by smoking or vaping.

Karli Smith, a mother of three who lives in the neighboring duplex unit, said she was not home at the time of the explosion. But when she arrived home, she saw her road had been blocked.

“The cops just notified me that it was unsafe. The roof was blown up off the foundation. I just can’t live there right now,” Smith said.

The American Red Cross has set up Smith and her three kids at a local hotel.

“It could have been so much worse. I could have been here, my kids could have been here,” she said.

Smith said her garage is damaged and the foundation is cracked.

“You just don’t know people, I guess you don’t know what going on. It’s sad unfortunately,” Smith said.

It could take up to a week before Smith can get back into her home.