ARLINGTON COUNTY, Va. — Nearly 24 hours after Arlington residents were evacuated from their homes and subsequently stunned when they witnessed a duplex explode, numerous questions about the incident remain unanswered.
Police have identified the man who was inside an Arlington home when it exploded Monday night as 56-year-old James Yoo. After reports of a flare gun being fired more than 30 times from a duplex on north Burlington Street and an hours-long police standoff, video captured the moment the house exploded around 8:30 p.m. Yoo is presumed to have died in the blast, according to the Arlington County Police Department.
Now, the biggest question is what caused the explosion. While some neighbors have speculated about whether any of the shots fired hit a gas line, officials said the gas to the home had been turned off before it exploded. Beyond that statement, authorities said they do not want to speculate on the cause or origin of the explosion until their investigation is complete.
WUSA9 was as close to the scene of the explosion as possible all day Tuesday and spoke to several witnesses and business owners in the area who described the chaos.
A FedEx driver told WUSA9 he would often deliver hazmat packages to Yoo's house. He said he had been there the day of the explosion delivering a package and saw all of the windows covered in aluminum foil.
The owner of a nail salon about a half-mile away closed her store early because she was worried something had happened. She said the impact was so powerful her ceiling cracked, and likened it to an earthquake.
Another woman who lives a mile away was on a Zoom call when the explosion happened, and said those on her call could hear it through her speaker.
"All of a sudden I heard this really loud boom and the whole house shook," she said.
Aaron Miller, Arlington's deputy county manager, said 10 houses were impacted by the blast. There's no word yet on when those families will be allowed back into their homes.
Miller said the county has been in contact with all those impacted to provide resources, including shelter and basic necessities. A reunification center has also been established at the Central Library Auditorium on N. Quincy Street. Officials are on the scene assisting families until 8 p.m. Tuesday evening and will be back on Wednesday. Counselors are also available for anyone who needs help.
"Surreal," said neighbor Sam Kim of the explosion he could see from his back porch. "Kind of traumatizing had to talk to my therapist for an emergency session," he said the day after it happened.
Kim said he could also hear Arlington police trying to talk Yoo out of his house when it exploded and a shockwave knocked Kim and his roommate backward.
"Immediately, like, our survival instinct kicked in and we're like, 'Can we do this?' Like, we're trying to get inside inside the house immediately," Kim recalled.
"I never had a (near) death experience," Kim said. "I think it's a miracle that we're alive."
One of the residents displaced, who did not want to speak on camera or be identified by name, said they just feel lucky to be safe, and they still can't believe what happened.
The investigation remains active and ongoing. Police ask anyone who may have more information to contact them at 703-558-2222.