TACOMA, Wash. — Fire investigators suspect that a failed electrical transformer caused a small fire and a large explosion at the Spanish Hills Apartments in West Tacoma on Sunday.
Firefighters were already at the apartment complex responding to an alarm after someone noticed smoke.
Video, taken by a neighbor, shows a group of firefighters inspecting part of the building when the blast pushes them back. Tacoma Fire Public Information Officer Chelsea Shephard said that luckily, none of them were injured. Nobody inside the complex was hurt, either, Shephard confirmed.
“It sounds like the explosion actually happened inside the wall, but it did blow some particle board and such, like, outside the back door, so it was pretty significant,” said Shephard.
“We live across the green belt from the apartment that was mostly blown up,” said Nichole Grace, with her son John Grace adding, “The windows were blown into the yard. The doors - the patio is crumbling from the bottom. It was really bad.”
While Tacoma Public Utilities (TPU) checked out the wiring, firefighters brought in additional crews to help evacuate people from 96 units in eight buildings, including Shannon Zimmerman and her chihuahuas, Loui and Momma.
“He’s a little baby,” said Zimmerman, tucking the pups under a blanket in her lap as one of the dogs whimpered.
While she spoke, Seattle police announced that the residents in five of the eight buildings would not be able to return home within the next 24 hours, as TPU continued its work.
Zimmerman’s apartment was in one of the affected buildings.
“Supposed to go camping in the morning. All my stuff’s inside,” she lamented. With those plans now up in the air, she said she would likely stay at a relative’s home.
The Red Cross was called out to help displaced residents. The agency said early Sunday evening that initial information indicated that five buildings and eight residential units were affected, and that they had received a request to assist 17 people and one dog.
Later that night, the Red Cross sent out an update, stating that the affected residential complex actually included five buildings in total, with just one building directly impacted by the fire. There were an estimated four units and 12 people in that one building who remained displaced overnight.
The remaining four buildings were temporarily without power, but the fire department cleared residents in those four buildings to return to their units late Sunday night.
The Red Cross says TPU would continue to assess the power situation to determine whether there would be any additional impacts to those buildings.
The 12 displaced residents of the one fire-damaged building gathered at Hunt Middle School as Red Cross Disaster Action Team responders worked directly with them to assess immediate needs and provide emergency support.
The Red Cross will continue coordinating with local officials and community partners as the response continues.
For more information about the Red Cross, visit redcross.org.
©2026 Cox Media Group
