Wednesday is the 60th anniversary of the Roseburg Blast.
On August 7th, 1959, a fire began at about 1:15 a.m. at Gerretsen Building Supply which was then located next to the railroad tracks on the edge of the downtown area. A few minutes later the fire ignited a delivery truck that was loaded with dynamite and a blasting agent and had been parked near the business earlier. That led to a blast which leveled eight-square blocks of downtown Roseburg and created a crater 52 feet in diameter and 12 feet deep.
14 people died due to the blast, while around 125 were injured.
Information on the City of Roseburg website said 300 businesses in a 30-block radius were damaged by the blast. 72 of those were declared structurally unsafe, resulting in major repairs and renovation. Downtown Roseburg looked like a war zone, according to observers.
For more information about “The Blast”, including pictures, eyewitness accounts and more details, pick up a copy of the Wednesday News Review and check out the special insert detailing the event.
An exhibit for the 60th anniversary of “The Blast” is now on display at the Douglas County Museum. During fair week, admission to the museum is free.