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Arlington County, Virginia, witnessed a devastating event Monday when a house explosion rocked the community.

 The incident unfolded in a duplex owned by 56-year-old James Yoo and culminated in a fiery explosion that could be heard and felt for miles. 

Authorities are piecing together the events leading up to the explosion which started with a tense standoff and the tragic end.

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Standoff 

The Arlington County Police were initially called to the scene following reports of a shots-fired incident at the brick duplex around 4:45 p.m. ET. 

Upon arrival, officers discovered that James Yoo had fired more than 30 rounds from a flare gun into the surrounding neighborhood. What began as a shots-fired call escalated into a standoff as officers attempted to engage with Yoo without success.

Police obtained a search warrant to break into the residence to end the nearly 4-hour-standoff.

 When they breached the front door, the Emergency Response Team encountered gunfire from within the dwelling. Efforts to compel Yoo to surrender, including the deployment of non-flammable, less-lethal chemical munitions, proved futile.

Then, at around 8:25 p.m., an explosion engulfed the house in flames, leaving destruction in its wake. The blast, captured in chilling video footage shared on social media, obliterated the home, sending debris into the night air and causing power outages in the area.

Investigation

In the aftermath of the explosion, the Arlington County Fire Department worked to control the fire. 

Despite more than 160 initial power outages, crews made progress, reducing the number to 19 by Tuesday morning.

Only three officers reported minor injuries, and they did not require hospitalization. Surrounding neighbors were evacuated in advance, preventing additional injuries.

Officials are now focused on determining the cause of the explosion that leveled the home and rattled Arlington's Bluemont neighborhood. 

Assistant Fire Chief Jason Jenkins highlighted that the gas line to the house had been turned off before the explosion, emphasizing the ongoing investigation with the assistance of federal agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Suspect James Yoo

Police Chief Andy Penn confirmed that the owner of the duplex, 56-year-old James Yoo, was the sole occupant at the time of the explosion.

Human remains found at the scene suggest Yoo was killed.

Chief Penn noted the existence of "concerning" social media posts attributed to Yoo, which will be scrutinized as part of the ongoing investigation.

David Sundberg, assistant director in charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office, revealed that Yoo had communicated with the FBI over several years, primarily making complaints about alleged frauds he believed were perpetrated against him. None of these communications led to any FBI investigations.