Retirement home evacuates due to extended power outage

JUNCTION CITY, Ore. — A retirement home in Junction City has evacuated due to an extended power outage.

Junction City Retirement and Assisted Living Community lost power around 1 a.m. Tuesday. According to Junction City police, the back-up generator blew and the facility has been without power ever since.

Later Tuesday evening, 46 residents were evacuated after concerns that starting up the back-up generator could cause an electrical fire. The decision to evacuate was made by Frontier Management but Chief Bob Morris with Junction City Police said the  Department of Human Services pressured them. The Lane Transit District provided buses to help move the residents.

Junction City Police said the outage ruined refrigerated medication and residents had been sitting in their rooms without any heat or air conditioning. There were also concerns about residents who needed supplemental oxygen.

Police said the retirement home has been on their radar for over a month now after an initial theft investigation raised some concerns about the facility. Adult Protective Services was contacted and they joined the investigation.

KEZI did reach out to the Frontier Managment, a Portland based company, who owns the property, for comment, but they did not get back. 

This is a developing story.