Out of an abundance of caution, nearby homes were temporarily evacuated while crews worked to secure the hazardous materials situation.
TAMPA, Fla. — Multiple agencies responded Monday morning to a home explosion on the 4000 block of S. Covina Circle in Tampa, which prompted a hazmat situation. Homes in the area were evacuated out of an abundance of caution, Tampa Fire Rescue said
There were no reports of injuries.
Initially, there was a report of a structure fire due to a large amount of smoke. Once Tampa Fire Rescue crews arrived, they determined the incident was actually a hazardous materials situation, causing fumes to come from the home.
The Tampa Police Department Bomb Squad was also dispatched to the scene.
The emergency teams said that someone “had mixed caustic chemicals, which caused a chemical reaction that led to a small explosion and damage to the roof of a single-story residence.”
Residents in the area felt the explosion in their neighborhood and were evacuated temporarily. They were able to safely return to their homes around 1 p.m.
“I was in the house and I heard a huge bang,” neighbor Tom Sisson said after the incident. “Everything in the house rattled. I went outside and I saw a mushroom cloud coming down from a couple of houses.”
“You could see the smoke coming up through the shingles,” Sisson said. “It was pretty scary for a little bit.”
According to authorities, the Tampa Police Department, the Florida Division of Emergency Management, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Florida Bureau of Fire, Arson, and Explosives Investigations responded to the scene.
