Ammunition explodes as fire guts Duvall house

DUVALL, Wash. — Some neighbors saw the smoke first, while others heard ammunition firing as flames gutted a Duvall home.

The owner of the home at Northeast 136th Place said he came downstairs just before 9 a.m. and saw smoke coming from the garage.  He rushed to get his wife and  pets out.

Inside the garage was a stash of ammunition that was ignited by the fire.

Neighbor Samantha Green, who lives next door, said it was loud.

“(It sounded) like World War III,” Green said.  “It went on for several minutes.”

She called 911.

The homeowner didn’t want to discuss the ammunition, but he gave Duvall firefighters a heads up.  It didn’t stop them from attacking the fire.

“We'll hear the noise and wonder what it is, but it's not a particular hazard to us,” said Duvall Fire Battalion Chief Greg Bawden.

Some neighbors said the flames were more than 40 feet high.

“I was pretty scared running down here making sure everybody was OK,” said Jordan Holen, who saw the smoke as he pulled up to his nearby home.

The homeowner got out his four dogs, ducks, chickens, and even the pet pig that stays in the garage out safely.

Firefighters said they were able to block the flames from taking over the whole house, so it may be salvageable.

The cause hasn’t been determined, but fire investigators said it doesn’t appear suspicious.

KIRO