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SEATTLE - Nearly a week after a massive home explosion on Whidbey Island, no suspects have been taken into custody.
The Island County Sheriff's Office released an update Tuesday, addressing public frustration and the lack of immediate arrests in the explosion, which was allegedly caused by someone smoking near fireworks.
The backstory:
The explosion happened last Wednesday in the Greenbank area of Whidbey Island at Lagoon Point. It was initially reported as a house fire before a large explosion injured three firefighters and two neighbors.
The blast destroyed multiple homes and damaged a third due to the resulting fire. Preliminary findings indicate a man smoked a cigarette too close to a cache of hundreds of pounds of stored fireworks.
The scene of a home explosion in Whidbey Island that injured 3 firefighters and damaged nearby homes. (Central Whidbey Island Fire & Rescue)
What they're saying:
Authorities responded to online reports that the former property owner had returned to the scene to tamper with or get rid of evidence.
The Sheriff's Office said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and an arson task force had "already completed their evidence collection and released the scene." So, the former resident is not guilty of altering or destroying any evidence.
The update went on to say the investigation is far from over, and deputies cannot make an arrest until a full investigation is complete. The Island County Sheriff's Office will release more details as they become available.
Fundraisers for neighbors, firefighters
Among those impacted by the explosion is Tanya Hernandez, who rushed back to the neighborhood to pull her bird and five dogs safely from her burning home. She was displaced by the fire, which also destroyed the "Queen Bee Pantry" non-profit organization she ran out of her home.
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Luckily, the three firefighters who were injured in the initial blast are all out of the hospital and recovering at home. A fundraiser was set up for the Central Whidbey Island Fire & Rescue to assist the first responders.
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Additionally, an 85-year-old woman lost her home in the explosion and fire, and a GoFundMe has been set up to support her in finding a new home.
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The Source: Information in this story came from the Island County Sheriff's Office, GoFundMe, the South Whidbey Firefighters Union and previous FOX 13 Seattle reporting.