One suspect in custody after explosion causes structure fire in Lexington

Lexington man faces federal gun charges after house explosion leaves him with burn injuries

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 News Now) —

Update: April 13 at 5 p.m. 

Jonathan Huff is facing federal charges after an explosion and house fire on Sunday left him with severe burns and led investigators to discover illegally possessed firearms.

Huff is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to a federal criminal complaint, the Lexington Fire Department responded to a house fire in the 700 block of Orleans Circle around 7:45 a.m. Sunday.

Witnesses told law enforcement they heard two explosions before the fire. They reported seeing Huff flee the residence on foot carrying a black bag and saying he had to leave.

Huff reportedly left in a vehicle but later returned to the scene. He was taken to a hospital for severe burns to his hands and back.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lexington Police Department Hazardous Devices Unit investigated the scene. During an interview, Huff admitted to having a Glock pistol and an AR-style rifle.

Investigators executed a search warrant on his vehicle and recovered a 9mm pistol from a black backpack and a .556 caliber rifle.

Court documents show Huff was previously convicted of felony methamphetamine possession in Indiana in 2021, prohibiting him from possessing firearms.

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.