Evacuated Motel 6 in Bremerton partly collapses in blast

BREMERTON – An explosion demolished part of a Motel 6 in Bremerton on Tuesday night just minutes after the acting hotel manager had evacuated the building because of a gas leak.

Bremerton police Chief Steve Strachan told the Associated Press there were no reports of anyone trapped inside, and just one possible injury.

Manager Tonya Hinds said a passer-by had come into her office to say a gas line was leaking at the back of the building. Hinds, a former volunteer firefighter, said she went outside and saw that the leaking line was a big one “with a lot of gas.”

“I pulled the alarm and started corralling people away from the building,” Hinds said. “I wanted to make sure all my guests were out.”

Hinds said the motel had about 65 guests in 42 occupied rooms, and the blast destroyed about one-quarter of the building.