One suspect in custody after explosion causes structure fire in Lexington

Structure fire at 700 block of Orlean Circle
Courtesy of LEX 18

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 News Now) —

Update: April 12 at 2:45 p.m.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Louisville division has released a statement regarding an explosion that caused a house fire in Lexington on Sunday.

According to ATF, Lexington agents, including a special agent bomb technician, are on the scene at the 700 block of Orlean Circle investigating the explosion. There is no current threat to the community, and one suspect has been detained.

The investigation remains ongoing.

 

Original story:

The Lexington Fire Department was dispatched around 7:45 a.m. on Sunday to reports of a structure fire at a Lexington home on the 700 block of Orlean Circle, near Alumni Drive.

According to officials, a preliminary investigation reveals that an explosion started the fire.

ABC 36 crews were on-scene around 8:05 a.m., and immediately noticed the foundation on the left side of the home was crumbling. While ABC 36 did not see flames, heavy smoke was exiting the roof of the building as fire crews sprayed the house down.

A neighbor reported to ABC 36 that they heard a loud bang at the time of the alleged explosion.

According to the fire department, four individuals were displaced from the fire, including two children. All four individuals were in the home at the time of the fire, but did not suffer life-threatening injuries. At least one resident was transported to a nearby hospital.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation by officials. According to a press release by the Lexington Police Department, nearby residents will likely see a heavy presence of emergency personnel in the area for the next several hours.

“The Lexington Police Department’s Hazardous Devices Unit, Lexington Fire Department Arson Investigators, FBI, and ATF are continuing to investigate the cause of the fire,” the press release states.

Individuals with information about the incident are asked to contact the Lexington Police Department at (859) 258-3600. Anonymous tips can be submitted to the Bluegrass Crime Stoppers at (859) 253-2020, online at the Bluegrass Crime Stoppers’ website, or through the P3 Tips app.

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