Units from King County Fire District 47 and Maple Valley Fire responded to the Bonneville Power Station located at 30725 SE Retreat-Kanasket Road in Ravensdale just before 5:15 p.m. on Monday evening. Initial reports from people calling 911 were of an explosion and fire.

Other people who called 911 reported feeling or hearing the explosion miles away. Firefighters were kept at a distance for safety as this power station is a major feeder from the Grand Coulee Dam to local utilities companies around Western Washington.

A shelter in place order was advised for the area around the power station due to the unknowns of what was burning and concern a second reactor could explode. There was no evacuation ordered and the shelter in place was lifted around 7:30 p.m. after it was determined the material inside the reactor was mineral oil and the level of fire had decreased.

Fire and BPA officials toured the area of the reactor around 9 p.m. to get an up close view of the fire and damage. It too an additional two hours before most of the power to the station was taken off line so that a Boeing Tanker truck from Renton was able to move close enough to spray a special foam agent on the fire and cool the reactor.

BPA is handing the investigation into the cause of the explosion. There were no injuries to firefighters or the public as a result of the explosion.

In all more than 40 fire personnel responded to the call, including those from KCFD 47, Maple Valley, Mountain View, Kent, Skyway, Boeing, King County Medic One and Zone 3 Rehab.