A large explosion shook downtown Seattle on Wednesday morning around 9:30 am, Seattle time.
🚨 #BREAKING: Explosion rocks downtown Seattle, hazmat crews, bomb squad deployed
Police are actively evacuating multiple high rise buildings after an explosive device ignited in the basement of one of the buildings. https://t.co/krSZ6XjNBs
— Katie Daviscourt (@KatieDaviscourt) April 19, 2023
The crews evacuated the building where the explosion took place in the basement. There was no active fire at the scene. Hazmat was also on the scene.
Only officials were allowed through the perimeter set up by fire crews around the explosion site.
Seattle Police Department confirmed that they are investigating a blast in the 100-block of 1st Avenue North just a few blocks from the Space Needle.
Police investigating an explosion in the 100 block of 1 AV N. One victim located with non-life-threatening injury. Please stay out of the area. Expect traffic delays. More information when available.
— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) April 19, 2023
Fox13 Seattle reports that the explosion seems to have been caused by fireworks.
Seattle Fire Department (SFD), arrived on the scene and found no fire. However, one person had been seriously injured. Later, the SPD said that the patient’s injury was not life-threatening.
According to SPD Public Information Officer Judinna Gulpan, the explosion was caused by a man who was handling fireworks during the explosion.
“He did sustain a non-life-threatening injury to his hand,” said Gulpan. “Police arrived on the scene and provided medical aid to him before Seattle Fire Department arrived. When they arrived, they continued medical assistance and later transported him to Harborview Medical Center for further medical evaluation.”
We will update this story as soon as we have more information.
