A dramatic explosion rocked an apartment complex in Washington state on Sunday, as firefighters responded to reports of smoke coming from an electrical room. The blast was captured on video, showing flames and debris erupting towards firefighters as they approached the building.
The footage, taken from Tacoma, shows a crew of firefighters forcing open the door to the electrical room, only to have thick smoke billow out. Seconds later, a powerful explosion blasted through the doorway, shattering windows and sending debris flying as firefighters quickly retreated from the building.
The person recording the incident briefly turned the camera away after the blast, before refocusing on the scene. Firefighters could be seen checking on one another and moving away from the damaged building.
Miraculously, no firefighters or residents were injured in the explosion, according to the Tacoma Fire Department. The incident began around 5:37 p.m., when firefighters responded to reports of an explosion and smoke coming from an electrical conduit at the apartment complex.
Fire alarms sounded after a resident pulled the alarm, prompting crews to evacuate buildings as a precaution. In total, eight buildings were evacuated indefinitely, with no active fire reported.
An electrical transformer malfunction was blamed for pushing smoke into multiple buildings, while investigators worked to determine the cause of the explosion. Apartment residents were temporarily sheltered at a local school.
The Tacoma Fire Department later confirmed that the explosion occurred inside the electrical room, after firefighters had shut off power to the building. The cause of the blast remains under investigation.
Residents were eventually cleared to return to all buildings except one, where crews worked to restore power. The American Red Cross assisted residents displaced from that building.
