Aberdeen Home Completely Destroyed After Fireworks Started a Fire That Firefighters Could Not Stop

Larry and Glenda Stott had lived in their Aberdeen home for 40 years. They raised their child there. They celebrated holidays there. On the night of July 4, they watched fireworks in their own backyard.

By 3 in the morning, that same home was on fire.

The couple woke up not to a smoke alarm, but to neighbors pounding on their door. “About 2:30, quarter to three, we get woken up by the neighbors on this side of us,” Larry Stott said. “They’re pounding on the door telling us our house is on fire.”

The Fire Started in the Back and Moved Fast

Aberdeen Fire Department investigators confirmed the fire started at the rear of the home on S. West Boulevard. Fireworks had been going off throughout the neighborhood that night, and investigators believe the blaze was firework-related.

Crews from Aberdeen and Hoquiam fire departments worked for roughly 90 minutes to bring it under control. The home was a total loss. A neighboring property also sustained damage.

Everyone got out safely. That was the only good news that morning.

The American Red Cross stepped in to assist the family. A community fundraiser has since raised thousands of dollars from locals who showed up when it mattered. “Sometimes it takes something horrible for you to realize just how lucky you are,” Stott said.

These situations move faster than most people expect. The Scottsdale house fire that killed 2 dogs spread through an entire home in minutes, and the Stotts’ neighbors pounding on the door at 2:30 a.m. was the only thing standing between them and a far worse outcome.

What the Rest of That Night Looked Like for Aberdeen’s Fire Department

The Stott fire was not the only one crews were managing that night.

Five minutes after the S. West Boulevard call came in, a second structure fire was reported at 2:46 a.m. on Cherry Street. An abandoned building, first floor fully engulfed. That pulled in four additional departments across Grays Harbor County.

Nine fire engines, 2 medic units, and 4 off-duty chief officers responded across both scenes while Grays Harbor 911 handled over 800 emergency calls that same weekend.

Aberdeen Fire Chief Dave Golding credited every agency involved: “The successful outcome of these incidents is a direct result of the professionalism, teamwork, and commitment demonstrated by every agency involved.”

KING5 reported on the fireworks connection to the S. West Boulevard home as investigators worked the scene.

There is a WhatsApp channel that tracks fire incidents and property stories as they break. Worth having if you want updates before the news cycle catches up.

Why This Matters

The Stotts now face rebuilding without home insurance. That means handling cleanup themselves, covering costs themselves, and starting from zero on a property they have owned for four decades.

“It’s been a good place. I don’t want to lose it,” Stott said. “You gotta look for the bright side. Gotta find it, let it shine, because otherwise it’s just too overwhelming.”

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, an estimated 13,000 people were injured by fireworks in 2025. There were 15 deaths. Burns made up 38% of all fireworks-related emergency room visits that year.

This same pattern repeats every Fourth of July. The caretaker forced away for weeks after the Aspen Acres fire near Bishop Castle knows that reality.

So does the Minnesota homeowner whose property suffered $30,000 in damage in minutes from a weed burner. The cause changes. The loss does not.

The Stotts salvaged a few things from the wreckage. An old family photo. Their wedding album. Forty years of everything else is gone.

Key Takeaways

• Larry and Glenda Stott’s Aberdeen home was destroyed on July 5, 2026
• Investigators confirmed fireworks as the likely cause
• The couple lived there for 40 years and were woken by neighbors around 2:30 a.m.
• Both evacuated safely with no injuries
• The home is a total loss; a neighboring property also sustained damage
• The Stotts have no home insurance and will manage cleanup themselves
• Community support has raised thousands through a local fundraiser
• A second unrelated fire hit Aberdeen five minutes later, triggering a countywide response

Larry Stott said he holds no anger toward whoever may have been responsible. “I’m just thankful the neighbors woke us up.” But it raises a real question: should residential fireworks laws change after incidents like this, or is personal responsibility enough? Drop your take in the comments.

Wrapping Up

A 40-year home, gone in a few hours. A wedding album pulled from the ash. Neighbors knocking at 2:30 in the morning because that was the only alarm that worked.

The Stotts want to rebuild. That alone says something.

If stories like this matter to you, Build Like New covers fire incidents, property losses, and the human side of these events regularly. Worth bookmarking.

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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. All details are based on publicly available reports and statements at the time of publication.