Greenbank, WA – Three firefighters responding to a house fire on Whidbey Island were injured Wednesday afternoon after the home exploded, according to Central Whidbey Island Fire & Rescue.
According to Central Whidbey Island Fire & Rescue, the incident began around 2:45 p.m. when a 911 caller reported a house fire on Smuggler’s Cove Road near Lagoon Point in Greenbank. Shortly after firefighters arrived, the home exploded, injuring three members of the response team.
Officials said the injured firefighters include two fire chiefs and one firefighter from Central Whidbey Island Fire & Rescue and South Whidbey Fire/EMS. Two were transported to Providence Regional Medical Center, while the third was taken to Island Hospital for treatment of blast-related injuries. Authorities reported all three were in stable condition.
Fire officials also said two civilians may have been injured, though both reportedly transported themselves to a hospital before emergency responders could evaluate them.
The explosion and subsequent fire completely destroyed the original home. A neighboring residence caught fire and was also destroyed, while a third home sustained damage from the blast, according to officials.
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation by the Region 3 Arson Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Multiple agencies responded to the incident, including Central and South Whidbey fire departments, North Whidbey Fire and Rescue, Navy Region Northwest, and several law enforcement agencies.
Officials have not yet released the names of the injured firefighters. The investigation remains ongoing.
