An East Boston neighborhood was shaken last night after an explosion occurred just after 1 a.m. on Webster Street.
Shortly after the explosion, both Boston Police officers and Boston firefighters reported to the scene of a three-story building. The Boston Bomb Squad also arrived to assist in the matter, according to Boston 25 News.
The overnight explosion took place on the second floor of the building where police discovered a man who had sustained second-degree burns to his lower body from the explosion.
Residents of both the first and third floors were evacuated and did not sustain injuries from the explosion.
The man has been listedin critical but stable condition. He is now being considered a suspect in that explosion.
“All of a sudden, I heard an explosion like a transformer blew. That was my first instinct,” Keith Johnson told Boston 25.
“I looked out the window and looked down the street, and saw some flames coming out of the window. I heard a glass-shattering blow. So I called 911, rushed down to the street and the fire department was here in a couple minutes,” Johnson recounted.
Other eyewitnesses shared that the police response was fast as they assisted the residents and rescued three dogs from the man’s home. Authorities reportedly recovered a firearm from the man’s apartment and several weapons.
“We found some weaponry in the house, which included one assault rifle,” Police Commissioner William B. Evans stated. “It’s going to remain under investigation.”
There was an explosion at a Webster St. home in East Boston overnight.
Police say they found a man suffering from serious burns on the 2nd floor.
BPD’S Bomb Unit and the FBI are involved in the investigation.
Here’s Commissioner Evans — @wbz @Lisa_Gresci is live on scene. pic.twitter.com/YwDy1wLIHh— Anaridis Rodriguez (@Anaridis) July 8, 2018
Authorities would not share if they know what caused the explosion. The apartment did sustain large amounts of damage with glass blown out of the windows and on to the street.
Boston Police have now opened an investigation into the explosion and are being assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
