In the Washington suburb of Arlington, a residential building exploded when police arrived with a search warrant. The suspect then fired multiple shots inside the home, the Arlington County Police Department said.
“As a result, an explosion occurred. “Police continue to investigate the circumstances of the explosion,” the statement said. Police had previously received reports of flares being fired from the home.
Arlington County police spokeswoman Ashley Savage said some officers suffered minor injuries but no one was hospitalized. There are no confirmed reports of deaths and the condition of the suspect who was in the home is unknown, she said.
Videos on social networks show a powerful explosion that causes a fire that illuminates the night sky.
The FBI said the bureau’s Washington office is assisting local police.
Fire and police personnel walk through the site of a house explosion in Arlington, Virginia, on Dec. 4, 2023, in Arlington.
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (AFT) also said its agents are on scene assisting with the investigation.
Virginia Congressman Don Baier, a Democrat, said on social network X that he was following the work of rescuers in connection with the “big explosion” in Arlington. “This is very, very scary and my deepest thanks to the emergency services on scene for keeping everyone safe,” Baier wrote.
The explosion occurred at a two-story duplex in north Arlington. Flames and smoke were visible far from the explosion site, including in Washington. An aide to Virginia Gov. Glenn Yankin said the governor’s office said it was “closely monitoring the situation.”
Arlington is home to the Pentagon, Fort Myer, and Amazon headquarters.
