By Aurora Ellison
Mill City officials are slowly getting back to business after an arson fire destroyed city hall and injured a city employee in September. A criminal investigation is underway.
“We’re not naming any suspects at this point. We’re just looking into leads,” Linn County Undersheriff Bruce Riley said.
In the Sept. 13 911 call released by the Linn County, the caller said the city hall “just exploded.”
Investigators announced within a few days that the fire was arson and not an accident. No other buildings were damaged.
Joy Cronin, the city’s finance clerk, was driving by city hall after hours and saw a light on, Riley said.
She stopped by to turn it off but encountered the fire instead.
Cronin was transported to Salem Hospital, then transferred to the burn center at Legacy Emmanuel Hospital in Portland.
Hospital officials said Cronin is still in serious condition.
The Linn County Sheriff is leading the investigation with the support of federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms. Debris from the fire was sent to an Oregon State Police crime lab to determine what accelerants were used.
Riley said it could be weeks or months before the results come back.
City business has temporarily moved to the North Santiam Chamber of Commerce, 825 N.W. Santiam Blvd. City hall can still be reached at the same phone number, 503-897-2302.
“We’re just doing our best to come back up to speed… it’s a slow process to try to get things back on track.
We appreciate the patience of the public,” Mayor Roel Lundquist said.
Lundquist said insurance will replace the building, but details are not settled yet.
The city council will decide whether to rebuild on the same lot at 252 SW Cedar St. or relocate, possibly to a lot on First Avenue and Fairview Street next to the Mill City Fire Department.
