An explosion and fire injured a Bellingham man and displaced four other tenants of a Sehome neighborhood house about 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17.
“There were reports of butane containers involved,” said Battalion Chief Cary Gustafson of the Bellingham Fire Department. “When we arrived, the patient was outside and we had a very small fire on the second floor landing. We did not enter the structure, we extinguished the fire that we could see from the outside.”
Because of the threat of further explosions and possible hazardous gases, Gustafson consulted the Whatcom County hazardous materials team by phone. After assessing the situation, Gustafson said firefighters were sent back inside to make sure the flames were out and that the fire hadn’t extended into the attic and walls.
Gustafson said the victim, identified by building tenants only as Jason, was taken by ambulance to St. Joseph hospital. Information on his condition was not immediately known Monday night.