A 78-year-old Ferndale man is dead after an explosion at his house on Wednesday morning.
Law enforcement and Whatcom County Fire District 7 responded to a report of a loud explosion and house fire just after 9 a.m., Feb. 26, at the 1500 block of Falcon Lane in Ferndale, said Tiffany Honey, a fire inspector at the Whatcom County Fire Marshals Office.
Firefighters found a single-story residence fully involved, Honey said. Crews worked to control the flames of the house’s exterior before transitioning inside.
During an interior search, firefighters found the property owner, Charles Roberts, dead. The Whatcom County Medical Examiner’s Office has jurisdiction over the remains and is working to determine the cause of death.
Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office deputies determined no criminal activity related to the fire, Honey said.
The explosion reported at the residence was found to be caused by multiple propane tanks within the house, Honey said. However, the fire marshal’s investigation did not determine the cause of the fire.
Annie Todd is CDN’s criminal justice/enterprise reporter; reach her at annietodd@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 130.
