Explosive charges demolish defunct Newberg paper mill
Thunderous explosion marks continued work to demolish and scrap the former newsprint fabrication plant.
On May 5, near noon, Newberg was rocked by a booming sound emanating from south of the city. Dogs barked, car alarms blared and social media sites were sent into a frenzy, but in the end it was just another indicator that a historic local landmark s days are numbered.
The manmade thunder, it was later revealed, came about when a contractor set off explosive charges in one of the buildings that made up the former WestRock paper mill sandwiched between Wynooski, 11th and River streets and the Willamette River. Community Development Director Doug Rux said the explosives were placed on the legs of one of the mill s tall tower buildings; when detonated, the building was destabilized and came crashing to the ground.