Transformer failure causes explosion at Tacoma apartments

An electrical transformer malfunction led to a powerful explosion inside an apartment complex in Tacoma, Washington, on Sunday, June 28, 2026, sending firefighters scrambling for safety. Dramatic video captured the moment the blast erupted from an electrical room, blowing debris outward and shattering windows. Officials confirmed no firefighters or residents were injured, though at least a dozen people were displaced from their homes.

The Tacoma Fire Department responded to the Spanish Hills Apartments on South 12th Street shortly after 5:30 p.m. following reports of smoke and activated fire alarms. Fire officials said smoke was emanating from electrical conduit after a transformer malfunction pushed smoke into several buildings. Approximately twenty minutes after arrival, firefighters entered an electrical room between units to manually shut off power to one building. At that moment, electricity arced and ignited the accumulated smoke, causing the explosion that blew debris through a doorway and rocked the complex.

Following the blast, firefighters evacuated multiple buildings as a precaution. The American Red Cross clarified that the complex consists of five residential...