Firefighters with Clallam County Fire District 3 extinguish a fire after a home exploded on the 100 block of June Place on Tuesday evening. (Michael Dashiell/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

Firefighters with Clallam County Fire District 3 extinguish a fire after a home exploded on the 100 block of June Place on Tuesday evening. (Michael Dashiell/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

Home explosion ruled accidental

Man found dead inside remains unidentified Wednesday

SEQUIM — Investigators from the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) sifted through the scene of Tuesday’s massive residential explosion at 132 June Place in Sequim on Wednesday and said that the blast was accidental.

The home exploded in Sequim early Tuesday evening, destroying the house, blowing out windows of at least three neighboring homes and leaving a man dead inside.

The identity of the deceased male found by firefighters inside the home had not been confirmed and the cause of death was to be determined by the Clallam County coroner, the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday.

No other major injuries or fatalities were reported.

Investigators began looking at evidence Wednesday afternoon, according to Undersheriff Ron Cameron.

“While a definitive explanation for the blast is not available, evidence collected shows that foul play is not suspected,” Cameron said in a press release. “The ATF indicated the incident was accidental.”

Sheriff’s office deputies and Clallam County Fire District 3 firefighters were dispatched to the scene a little before 7 p.m. when they found the home entirely destroyed, with pieces of the structure blown hundreds of feet into neighbors’ yards and roofs.

Firefighters from the Carlsborg station reportedly arrived about five minutes after the initial tone to the front of the burning structure with multiple propane tanks venting and sending flames 30 to 40 feet high in loud bursts.

Olympic Ambulance responded with three ambulances, evaluating two individuals for minor injuries.

District 3 Battalion Chief Chris Turner said the PenCom dispatch center in Port Angeles received an estimated 100 calls about the explosion that was heard across the Sequim-Dungeness Valley and into Port Angeles.

There were reports of at least three homes with their windows blown out on the same block, Turner said.

“Multiple callers and witnesses stated that within a mile of the initial explosion objects had fallen off their walls inside their homes,” he said in a press release.

It took about an hour to control the blaze, District 3 officials said, though the major damage was kept to the property, some grass on neighboring property lines and a neighboring fence.

Additional units from the Sequim and Blyn fire stations assisted with the blaze.

At the peak of the call, Fire District 3 had 10 units with nearly 30 personnel on scene. Port Angeles Fire Department had an assistant chief who assisted as well.

Some residents of the fire district in the vicinity of the fire may notice damage to their homes or property over the next couple of days, fire district officials said.

Those seeking to contact their homeowner’s insurance company can give them the county sheriff’s office case number: 2023-14288.

________

Michael Dashiell is the editor of the Sequim Gazette of the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which also is composed of other Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News and Forks Forum. Reach him at editor@sequimgazette.com.

Peninsula Daily News Reporter Peter Segall and Executive Editor Leah Leach contributed to this story.

June Place is seen from the air as Cenk Özer, who runs the flight school Anatolian Eagle Flight Academy in Sequim, surveyed the area. (Cenk Özer)

June Place is seen from the air as Cenk Özer, who runs the flight school Anatolian Eagle Flight Academy in Sequim, surveyed the area. (Cenk Özer)

Flames erupted when a house on June Place exploded Tuesday evening. (Steve Carpenter)

Flames erupted when a house on June Place exploded Tuesday evening. (Steve Carpenter)

More in News

A man drops off his ballot this weekend in front of the Clallam County courthouse in Port Angeles. Dropboxes across Clallam and Jefferson counties will be open until 8 p.m. tonight. Go to www.peninsuladailynews.com for initial results. Election coverage will be in Thursday’s print edition. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Election day

A man drops off his ballot this weekend in front of the… Continue reading

Clallam last of its kind in nation

County has predicted president since 1980

Bruce Skinner. (Leah Leach/for Peninsula Daily News)
Skinner earns festivals association lifetime award

Veteran music festival organizer also inducted into Hall of Fame

Hood Canal Bridge closures set Thursday night

The Hood Canal Bridge on state Highway 104 will repeatedly… Continue reading

Decoy carver Ben Tyler, left, talks about the carvings he has on display to Brian Erickson, from Juneau, Alaska, during the Port Townsend Woodworkers Show at the Legion Hall in Port Townsend on Saturday. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Decoy carvings

Decoy carver Ben Tyler, left, talks about the carvings he has on… Continue reading

About two dozen witches set off on the second annual Witches Paddle from Northwest Maritime to the Pourhouse pub on Saturday, a distance of half a mile. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Witches paddle

About two dozen witches set off on the second annual Witches Paddle… Continue reading

Jefferson commissioner to speak at Studium Generale East

Jefferson County commissioner Kate Dean will present “Small Town… Continue reading

Port Angeles City Council to meet Wednesday

The Port Angeles City Council will conduct public hearings… Continue reading

Cindy, left, and Alan Turner are selling Port Book and News after 38 years in business. The store has become a fixture in Port Angeles for its thoughtful selection of books, carefully curated gifts, exceptional customer service and community-minded spirit. (Paula Hunt/Peninsula Daily News)
Port Book and News for sale after nearly 40 years

Store known for its curated selection of books, magazines

Family members of Ruth McCord celebrate the dedication of a park named after their mother’s legacy on Oct. 25. The future park, located near North Seventh Avenue and West Hendrickson Road, looks to honor the late Sequim resident’s wishes to offer a place for youngsters and the elderly alike. (Michael Dashiell/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Sequim dedicates a new city park

Land to offer attractions for both youth, elderly

Operations scheduled at Bentinck range this week

The land-based demolition range at Bentinck Island will be… Continue reading

Weekly flight operations scheduled

There will be field carrier landing practice operations for aircraft… Continue reading