SEATTLE — Police said a man was hospitalized after fireworks he was handling exploded in his apartment unit in Seattle's Uptown neighborhood on Wednesday morning.
The Seattle Police Department tweeted just after 10 a.m. that it was investigating an explosion at an apartment in the 100 block of First Avenue North. A spokesperson for the Seattle Police Department said the 36-year-old man had a non-life threatening injury to his hands and was taken to Harborview Medical Center. As of Wednesday afternoon, Harborview Medical Center said the man is in serious condition.
The Seattle Fire Department and Seattle Police received several 911 calls from residents reporting they heard an explosion in the basement of the apartment complex around 9:15 a.m. The entire building was evacuated as a precaution, but firefighters did not find an active fire. Other buildings in the area were also evacuated as a precaution. Authorities closed off a one-block perimeter around the building for around three hours Wednesday morning as officials investigated the explosion.
Hazmat crews and a bomb squad responded to the apartment. Seattle Police said no additional explosive materials were found.
Police asked the Pacific Science Center to delay opening Wednesday morning while they address a situation to the west of the building. The Pacific Science Center, which is normally open at 10 a.m., said in a tweet just after 11:45 a.m. that it is open to the public.
Seattle Police said the Arson Bomb Squad will lead the follow-up investigation of this case.
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