The Hampton Greens apartment complex fire that sent seven people to the hospital this morning is now being handled as a criminal investigation with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms now assisting.

Residents at the complex on the 4500 block of 148th Avenue Northeast reported hearing an explosion followed by flames. Fire Department Lt. Rich Burke said a three-story multi-family structure sustained significant damage within 10 units. Of the seven injured, two were transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and five to local hospitals, including a firefighter who sustained a cut to her hand.

Bellevue Police Ofc. Carla Iafrate said the fire is contained, but firefighters will remain at the site cleaning up hot spots. At one point, she said, there were about 75 firefighters from three agencies and up to 25 officers assisting with traffic control and securing the area. She said she has heard reports one person in the building jumped out a window to escape the blaze and a man caught fire, but could not confirm at this time.

As an active criminal investigation, Iafrate said there is little the police department can disclose.

“I can freely say that one of the police detectives talked to a fire marshal that had been here and there was something here that was suspicious, and it has been turned over and it is now a criminal investigation,” she said.

The fire was contained to one structure in the complex and Red Cross has been called out to help with displaced residents.