Arlington, Virginia - A major explosion tore through a home in the suburbs of the US capital on Wednesday, authorities said, with video posted on social media showing a powerful blast followed by a large fire that lit up the night sky.

Police were investigating a residence where a suspect had discharged a flare gun, and as officers attempted to execute a search warrant, "the suspect discharged several rounds inside the home," the Arlington County Police Department said in a statement.

"Subsequently, an explosion occurred at the residence and officers continue to investigate the circumstances of the explosion."

"I think it blew up the entire duplex," a neighbor told local media outlet ARLnow. "I'm sure the family next door was evacuated before it blew up, but they lost their home."

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The fire department had been dispatched to the scene as of 8:45 PM, police said.

Residents in Arlington, in the state of Virginia across the Potomac River from Washington, were told to shelter in place by the local government.