A massive house explosion was caught on video Monday night after there were reports of a man firing a flare gun inside the residence. The blast sent portions of the home flying into the air, set off car alarms throughout the neighborhood, and shook the streets. You can hear witnesses near the person taking the video uttering stunned expletives as the fiery debris rains down.
Watch:
Video of the explosion. Hope everyone was out of the house#Arlington #ballston @ARLnowDOTcom @RealTimeNews10 pic.twitter.com/JSZE7LkoTD
— c “” maj (@connormaj) December 5, 2023
Officers were already on the scene when the explosion occurred and had made a social media post warning of a disturbance in the neighborhood:
A house in Arlington, Virginia, exploded Monday night only minutes after police posted on social media about a suspect setting off a flare gun inside a home.
In a post on X just after 8:15 p.m., the Arlington County Police Department said officers were on the scene in the 800 block of North Burlington Street investigating a suspect who had discharged a flare gun from his home.
Police had warned people to avoid the area:
POLICE ACTIVITY: ACPD is in the 800 block of N. Burlington Street investigating a suspect who has discharged a flare gun from his residence. Expect continued police activity and avoid the area. pic.twitter.com/IGFF3D1Ed2
— ArlingtonCountyPD (@ArlingtonVaPD) December 5, 2023
They posted again after the explosion:
UPDATE: As officers were attempting to execute a search warrant at the residence, the suspect discharged several rounds inside the home. Subsequently, an explosion occurred at the residence and officers continue to investigate the circumstances of the explosion.
— ArlingtonCountyPD (@ArlingtonVaPD) December 5, 2023
It is unclear if anyone was injured in the blast. Police had been talking to the suspect in the house and were trying to get him to come out:
A listener confirmed to WTOP that she lives in the area and saw police and other armed officials surround the suspect’s house, trying to coax him out.
“And they’re talking to him. And then next thing you know, the house blows up. It’s a duplex and it’s collapsed the entire side and I don’t know about the other side of the duplex. I’m just hoping that people next door got out. And they’re (officials) now chasing us off the street with all the fire trucks and everything because we have [natural] gas in the neighborhood,” she said.
Expect a major police and fire response:
Arlington Fire & EMS posted on X that their units were on the scene of a “structure fire” at the same address, and to expect a large police and fire response.
Here’s a close-up view of the devastation:
🚨#BREAKING: Numerous Reports of People Hearing Large Explosions, Rattling Multiple Buildings and homes ⁰⁰📌#Arlington | #Virginia
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) December 5, 2023
Currently Numerous reports are emerging of people hearing and seeing a large explosion in Arlington, Virginia, extending across Washington, D.C.… pic.twitter.com/TypaK15lsQ
The tweet continues:
Witnesses describe a large yellow flash followed by a massive boom, rattling multiple buildings and homes. Officials are reporting that it was a house explosion, with accounts of people burned, heavy flames, and thick plumes of smoke billowing from a building surrounded by trees.
RedState will keep you updated as circumstances warrant.
