Dramatic video captured the moment an explosion erupted inside a Washington state apartment complex electrical room, sending flames and debris toward firefighters as they investigated reports of smoke Sunday.
The wild footage from Tacoma showed a crew of firefighters forcing open the door to the electrical room before thick smoke billowed out.
Seconds later, a powerful explosion blasted through the doorway, shattering windows and sending vertical blinds and debris flying as firefighters quickly retreated from the building.
The person recording the incident briefly turned the camera away after the blast.
When the video refocused, firefighters could be seen checking on one another and moving away from the damaged building.
The Tacoma Fire Department (TFD) later said no firefighters or residents were injured.
Firefighters responded around 5:37 p.m. to an apartment complex at 6400 S. 12th St., after receiving reports of an explosion and smoke coming from an electrical conduit, according to the department.
Fire alarms sounded after a resident pulled the alarm, prompting crews to evacuate buildings as a precaution.
“Eight buildings evacuated indefinitely. No active fire,” the TFD said in an update on X.
Officials said an electrical transformer malfunction pushed smoke into multiple buildings while Tacoma Public Utilities and fire investigators worked to determine the cause.
Apartment residents were temporarily sheltered at Hunt Middle School.
In a later update, the department said the explosion occurred inside the electrical room after firefighters shut off power to the building.
“Explosion occurred in the electrical room where firefighters shut power off to the building,” the Tacoma Fire Department wrote on X. Tacoma Public Utilities continued investigating the cause of the blast.
The utility later cleared residents to return to every building except the 600 building while crews worked to restore power. The American Red Cross assisted residents displaced from that building.
The Tacoma Fire Department said the explosion remained under investigation.
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