OAK HARBOR, Wash. — Island County sheriff’s deputies are releasing more information on an illegal fireworks operation that caused an explosion that left one person dead in Oak Harbor.
Crews responded to a massive fire at a home on Strawberry Point Road on June 17.
Two people were able to get out safely, but one was killed in the explosion.
A preliminary investigation suggested that 42-year-old Mark Fakkema was manufacturing fireworks in a shop attached to the home a detonation occurred.
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Island County sheriff’s deputies said there is no record of Fakkema having a license to manufacture fireworks, and if he did, the amount and explosive potential of the products would make them classified as “improvised explosives” rather than fireworks.
Deputies say there were about two pounds of fireworks that caused the explosion and fire at the home.
A search of Fakkema’s home also uncovered 25 pounds of illegal explosive devices and a cargo container full of commercial fireworks, deputies said.
According to deputies, it appears that Fakkema was dismantling the commercial fireworks in his kitchen to obtain materials for building his devices.
Jim Secrettie was driving by the house and also spoke to KIRO 7. He lives in Mariner Cove, which is across the street from the property where the house blew up.
“We were in our house, and the explosion shook our house, it’s a 2-story house… it was a really strong explosion,” Secrettie admitted that the incident felt almost like an earthquake, but was too short to be one. He did fear that a naval jet from Naval Station Whidbey had crashed.
The investigation is ongoing.
Fakkema’s cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner.
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