An explosion during a house fire on Whidbey Island, Washington State, on Wednesday left three homes damaged or destroyed, and three firefighters injured. On June 24, around 2:45pm, a 911 call was made for a house fire at Smugglers Cove Road near Lagoon Point.
Shortly after the fire department personnel arrived, there was a blast, as per reports. Now, videos of the incident have been shared widely online showing the exact moment the explosion took place.
The clip, captured on a ring camera shows the flames burning, before the explosion rocks the surroundings. Another angle from across the street shows people rushing before the explosion takes place, at which point the camera is knocked down.
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Further footage shows the house from an aerial view, completely destroyed, as emergency personnel work at the scene.
“3 firefighters injured after a man’s house with hundreds of pounds of fireworks explodes in Washington. Firefighters on Whidbey Island were called to a house fire, and shortly after arriving, the home exploded. Crews were standing about 20 feet from the house when, according to officials, hundreds of pounds of fireworks exploded,” the page noted.
Whidbey Island explosion: What happened
As per reports, the first and second neighboring home that caught fire were completely destroyed, while a third home was damaged in the incident. Two people who were also injured transported themselves to the hospital, so officials were unaware of the extent of their injuries.
Meanwhile, two fire chiefs and a firefighter was also injured in the blast which took place. “The firefighters are not yet being identified, but they are from Central Whidbey Island Fire and Rescue, and South Whidbey Fire/EMS; the injured include two chiefs and one firefighter. Two were transported to Providence Regional Medical Center, the third to Island Hospital for blast injuries. All three are in stable condition,” a statement from Central Whidbey Island Fire & Rescue read. A GoFundMe was also started for the injured firefighters, and the department issued a statement of thanks for the overwhelming support.
What caused fire and explosion?
A statement from the Island County Sheriff’s Office noted “The initial phase of the investigation into the fire and subsequent explosion at the residence on Smugglers Cove Road has been completed, and the roadway has reopened.”
“The cause and origin of the fire and explosion is being investigated by the Region 3 Arson Task Force in coordination with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE). Once the cause and origin have been determined, the Island County Sheriff’s Office will continue the investigation to determine whether any criminal charges are warranted,” it added.
Local channel King5 – affiliated with NBC – reported that a cigarette is believed to have set off about 700 pounds of fireworks stored inside the house.
