Investigators said about 700 pounds of fireworks were stored inside a Greenbank home before the explosion.
GREENBANK, WA — A fireworks-fueled house explosion tore through a Whidbey Island neighborhood Wednesday afternoon, destroying two homes, damaging a third and injuring five people, including three firefighters, authorities said.
The blast near Lagoon Point is now the focus of local, regional and federal investigations. Officials said about 700 pounds of fireworks were inside a home on Smugglers Cove Road before the fire and explosion. The case has raised questions about how the fireworks were stored, what sparked the fire and whether anyone could face criminal charges.
The first call came in at about 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, June 24, as fire crews responded to a reported house fire in Greenbank, a small community on central Whidbey Island. Firefighters arrived to find fireworks burning and launching from the property. A large explosion followed soon after they reached the scene, sending a shock through the neighborhood and forcing crews to work around fire, smoke and scattered debris. Central Whidbey Island Fire & Rescue Chief Jerry Helm said the fireworks were “kind of like a little ticking time bomb,” because crews could not know when another item might ignite. Firefighters began overhaul work around 5 p.m., after the most dangerous flames were brought under control.
Three firefighters were taken to hospitals after the blast. Officials said the injured firefighters were from Central Whidbey Island Fire & Rescue and South Whidbey Fire/EMS. One firefighter was thrown into a truck, and another was knocked to the ground, according to a fire department account. All three had been released from the hospital by Friday morning, South Whidbey Fire/EMS Chief Nick Walsh said. One firefighter had a serious hand injury but was expected to keep all fingers. Two residents also were reported hurt. Officials did not release their names or detailed medical conditions. The explosion destroyed the home where the fireworks were stored, burned a neighboring home and left another nearby house with heavy damage.
Investigators believe the fire may have started when someone smoked too close to the fireworks, officials said. That finding remained preliminary as of the latest public updates. The Island County Sheriff’s Office said the first phase of the investigation was underway, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives joined the response. The Region 3 Arson Task Force also was working with local agencies to determine the cause and origin of the fire. Investigators were expected to decide later whether the facts support criminal charges. Officials said the Sheriff’s Office would continue its review after fire investigators completed the cause and origin work.
The explosion came just over a week before the Fourth of July holiday, when fire agencies across Washington usually see a rise in fireworks calls. Island County allows some fireworks under state and local rules, but it bans certain items, including firecrackers, rockets, M-80s, dynamite, homemade fireworks and mortar fireworks unless allowed by permit. Fireworks also are banned in Island County and state parks, on federal land and on some public streets, sidewalks, parking lots and school property. Officials have not publicly released a full inventory of the fireworks found at the Greenbank home or said whether all of them were consumer fireworks, display fireworks or a mix of items.
Neighbors described a sudden blast and a chaotic scene as fireworks shot from the burning property. Tanya Hernandez, whose home was damaged, said she came home to care for her animals and found the area filled with explosions. “They just kept going off,” Hernandez said. “It was like the Fourth of July.” She said her first concern was getting her dogs out of the house. The fire also damaged supplies connected to a local nonprofit she runs, adding to the losses for people already displaced by the blast. Images from the scene showed blackened walls, collapsed debris and firefighters spraying water on a damaged neighboring home.
By Thursday morning, crews still were checking the area for unexploded items. Helm said a few items remained at the scene, and investigators had to move carefully through the damaged property. The blast left families without homes and drew attention across Whidbey Island, where fire departments from nearby areas helped with the response. Officials did not announce any arrests or charges as of Sunday. The next major step is the completion of the fire investigation, including the formal finding on how the fire started and whether the storage of the fireworks violated state or local law.
The investigation remained active Sunday, June 28, with the ATF, arson investigators and Island County officials involved. Authorities had not released a final cause, a full damage estimate or a charging decision.
Author note: Last updated June 28, 2026.