According to police, a residence in Arlington, Virginia was engulfed in a massive explosion. The incident occurred on Monday night while police were investigating a man who had fired a flare gun multiple times from inside the home.
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Fortunately, police did not sustain any serious injuries. However, the fate of the suspect who was inside the home during the explosion is still unknown. Videos shared on social media captured a large fireball and debris being launched into the air, resulting in a powerful blast that could be felt and heard for miles in the surrounding Washington, D.C. suburb.
Neighbors initially reported possible gunshots around 4:45 p.m., prompting the arrival of police officers. It was later determined that the shots were actually fired from a flare gun, as stated by Arlington County police spokesperson Ashley Savage.
According to a police statement, officers obtained a search warrant for a house on North Burlington Street. They attempted to contact the suspect using the telephone and loudspeakers, but there was no response. As officers were attempting to execute the search warrant, the suspect fired several rounds from what is believed to be a firearm inside the home. The incident occurred at approximately 8:25 p.m.
The fire department was able to control the resulting fire by around 10:40 p.m., although they were still addressing spot fires. Officials have not been able to enter the home yet, so it is unknown if there are any fatalities. The suspect was inside the home at the time of the explosion, according to Savage, a police spokesperson.
According to an early Tuesday statement by the police, the suspect fired a flare gun roughly 30 to 40 times from inside the residence, shooting into the surrounding neighborhood.
The person involved in the case was not identified, according to Savage, who said that the occurrences of the explosion were being investigated. Carla Rodriguez from South Arlington was unable to approach the area due to police restrictions after hearing the powerful blast from over 2 miles away.
Bob Maynes, a local resident, mistook the explosion for a tree falling on his house due to the intense shaking.
U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) expressed his fear regarding the incident and expressed gratitude to the first responders. County police reported minor injuries among police officers but clarified that no one required hospitalization. The FBI in Washington and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives were providing assistance with the investigation, with fire investigators at the scene.
