Oregon Public Broadcasting

Authorities have been searching the debris of city hall in Mill City for clues to the arson that destroyed it Monday night.

Fire debris evidence is being sent to the Oregon State Police crime lab to test for accelerants, and an accelerant-sniffing dog was at work in the rubble Thursday.

Mill City Mayor Roel Lundquist says workers were able to recover a safe from City Hall -- its contents were intact, including checkbooks and receipts. 

Roel Lundquist: "We were kinda wondering what would happen, based on the extent of the fire, and looking from the outside, whether anything would survive, and we were fairly happy that things did survive."

Lundquist says that a finance clerk who was burned in the fire is in stable condition at a Portland hospital.  But he said Joy Cronin's recovery will take some time. 

For now, he says, his employees are trying to keep city government operating as normally as possible.  They're setting up in restaurants and other venues that have been made available.

Roel Lundquist: "We're open 9-4 at this visitors' center on normal work days, which is the same hours we had at our regular city hall.  We're trying to get back where we can do the other things that city hall provides, whether building permits, water utility issues, whatever.  We're survivors!  We'll make it!"

Mayor Lundquist notes that as of this morning, Mill City government is operating on its usual phone and fax numbers. Although investigators say the fire was intentionally set, no suspects have been identified.