Bomb Explodes at West Coast Bank

An explosion at a Woodburn bank near to Portland City in Oregon has occured. A technician has been reported as having been injured in the blast, which happened just before 6pm tonight. First hand reports ae suggesting others have been injured also.

The bank at the center of the explosion is the West Coast Bank at 2540 Newberg Highway, Woodburn. Oregon. View map: maps.google.com/maps Nearby streets to the south of Oregon Highway and Evergreen Avenue are currently being evacuated,along with a U.S. Bank. Also local residents are being urged not to return until police say it is safe to do so. There seems to be facilities being offered nearby to support those affected. There have no other devices been reported or found. But the area is being thoroughly being searched. It is being advised that motorist may be held up in traffic around the Woodburn exits on highway 214, highway and the I-5. Also 99 Mount Hood Avenue is also likely to be affected. Some sections are even closed to traffic. The Oregon Department of Transport is hepling with co-ordination of any diversions that are being put in place.

The Woodburn Independent www.woodburnindependent.com/ are carrying the story and are reporting that there are confirmed injuries, but have not yet issued a statement as to how many casualties there have been. In a brief statement a Spokesperson for the F.B.I. (Fedral Bureau of Investigations) Jane Brillhart, has said the extent of the injuries are not yet known. But one casualty has now been treated at the scene and taken to nearby hospitals.

There has been confirmation that there has been no suspicious device found at the Wells Fargo Bank during the current ongoing investigations. This has also been confirmed by Jane Brillhart in the statement. Altough it has been confirmed by police there is a secondary device that could still be on the site at the West Coast Bank.

A suspicious package had earlier in the day been found and investigated at the nearby Wells Fargo Bank. This bank is located at 2600 Newberg Highway, where earlier today local Woodburn Police Department, State Police and the F.B.I. had all been investigating the suspect package. In what looks like at the moment to be closely related to tonights incident at the West Coast Bank, in Woodburn. There are currently other specialist investigators from The Bureau Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (A.T.F.) on there way up to Woodburn at the moment, to meet up with officials and police at the Woodburn locations.

As stated earler in the day police where called to the Woodburn branch of Wells Fargo Bank at 10.38am. www.woodburnindependent.com/WINNews6.shtml In what is being reported as suspicious activity around the bank. There had been a call about a package that had turned out to be harmless. It was all played down at the time as "Much ado about nothing!" But this evenings events have caused a lot of concern.

The area around the West Coast Bank in Woodburn has been sealed and cordoned off. And a blue tarp is over parts of the main foyer to the bank. With people being urged not to approach the areas affected for there own safety.

Sources: Woodburn Independent