One person killed during explosion in motel room, North Carolina police say

One person is dead after an explosion in a motel room in Black Mountain, North Carolina, the local police chief said.

The explosion caused a fire in one room at the Apple Blossom Motel at around 10:30 p.m. on Monday, May 30, said Black Mountain Police Chief Steve Parker. Firefighters responded and extinguished the blaze.

First responders found one person dead inside, but they have not yet identified the body, Parker told McClatchy News. Coroners will conduct an autopsy, he said.

No one else at the motel was injured, Parker said. The rooms closest to the explosion were unoccupied at the time. The damage to the hotel is “significant,” he said.

Black Mountain is about 16 miles east of Asheville.

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation were called to assist in the local police investigation. The police chief could not yet say what might have caused the explosion or whether foul play is suspected.

This story was originally published May 31, 2022 at 3:10 PM with the headline "One person killed during explosion in motel room, North Carolina police say."