700 Pounds of Fireworks Explode on Whidbey Island, Destroying Homes and Injuring Firefighters

Roughly 700 pounds of illegal fireworks explode inside a Whidbey Island home, destroying two houses, severely damaging a third and injuring five people, including three firefighters.The Island County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives open a joint investigation, say the blast likely began when a cigarette or falling ash ignited the cache, and warn that criminal charges are possible.Neighbors had complained about crates of fireworks and illegal burning before the explosion; fundraisers begin for injured responders and displaced families while investigators map debris and collect evidence.