Fire triggers explosion at Arlington shopping center



ARLINGTON, Wash. -- A building partially collapsed at a two-alarm fire in old downtown Arlington Monday evening.

The fire broke out at the 2 Bits & More thrift store at 229 N Olympic Avenue about 7 p.m.

The City Council was holding a meeting nearby.

"We heard a large explosion, a large boom which is very unusual for a normal council meeting," Kristin Banfield with the city said. "We immediately came outside."

Those booms were floors in the old buildings collapsing and windows being blown out because of heat.

Several businesses and apartments around the thrift store received damage. Banfield said about 10 to 15 people are displaced, but no injuries have been reported.

The Bistro, a favorite restaurant next to the store, is not open on Mondays, so no one was inside. The thrift store also was closed for the night.

Investigators say the scene is still too dangerous for them to determine the cause of the fire.