An explosion brought down a section of a Motel 6 in Bremerton, Washington, on Tuesday, after people smelled gas there, police said.
The hotel was evacuated before the explosion, said Police Chief Steve Strachan. “We’re certainly hoping and praying that everybody did get evacuated successfully, but we can’t confirm for sure yet that that occurred.”
The leak was at the east end of the hotel, where there were guest rooms.
The explosion sent up a plume of black smoke, and residents took to social media to say they could feel the shake from the blast from miles away.