Virginia Home Explosion: Suspect Causes Blast After Firing Flare Gun as Police Serve Warrant

A Virginia home exploded after a suspect in Arlington fired a flare gun as law enforcement personnel were serving a search warrant on Monday evening.

The incident prompted multiple police and fire units to respond to the home located in the 800 block of N Burlington after 8:00 p.m. Arlinton police officers were trying to execute the search warrant when the suspect suddenly fired several rounds from his flare gun while still inside.

Virginia Home Explosion

In a statement, Arlington County Police Department spokesperson Ashley Save said that the preliminary investigation of the incident suggests that the suspect discharged a flare gun from inside his residence.

Currently, the extent of injuries inside the home and the surrounding area remains unclear and community members have been told to shelter in place for their own safety. Law enforcement personnel on the scene reported minor injuries with no one transported to the hospital, as per Fox News.

Fire officials remained on the scene to work on extinguishing the flames and police officers continued to investigate the circumstances of the blast. A video recording of the incident was posted on social media and showed a vehicle with a flashing blue light approaching the home when a loud blast suddenly blew the roof off.

In a matter of seconds, the building appeared to have crumpled to the ground and burst into flames. The explosion sent debris flying through the air and setting off a nearby car alarm due to its shockwave.

Democratic Rep. Don Beyer, who represents the region, said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he was monitoring the situation in Arlington. He said that this was a "very, very scary" incident. He also expressed his gratitude to the first responders who were working to secure the area and keep the people nearby safe, according to the New York Times.

This follows a similar incident when an explosion led to a massive fire at an Ohio auto shop late last month that killed three people and left another one injured. The blast occurred at Jimbo's Auto Repair in Hillsboro, which is between Cincinnati and Columbus. Authorities said that the blast occurred at around 4:00 p.m. on Nov. 28.

Extinguishing the Fire

In a statement on Nov. 29, Paint Creek Joint EMS/Fire Chief David Manning said that the singular injured individual was taken to the hospital and was in stable condition. The official added that the blast was powerful enough to shake the firehouse that was located roughly five blocks away.

Manning said that he and his colleagues felt the explosion at the firehouse. While he was unable to recall how long it took to put the fire out, he noted that it was after midnight by the time that the scene was cleared and he was able to go home.

Video recordings of the incident captured by witnesses showed the auto ship being engulfed by a bright-red flame under billowing black smoke. Manning noted that the identities of the dead were initially not being released to the public.

On Wednesday, an Ohio Department of Commerce spokesperson said that the State Fire Marshal's Fire and Explosion Investigation Bureau was responsible for investigating the incident. However, the cause of the blast remains unclear, said USA Today.