A man is presumed dead after his house in a suburb of Washington DC exploded during a standoff with police.

Authorities said James Yoo, 56, was the only person of his unit in a duplex house in Arlington, Virginia.

Officers were called to the house at 16:45 local time (21:45 GMT) on Monday after reports of someone firing a flare gun.

Neighbors were evacuated. When police approached the building, shots were fired, and the house exploded.

Three officers sustained minor injuries, but police said on Tuesday that no neighbors or bystanders were hurt.

Around 10 to 12 homes in the surrounding area were affected by the blast. Police are still investigating what caused the explosion.

The blast shook surrounding buildings, and authorities are assisting several families who could not yet return to their homes.

Videos circulating on social media showed debris and plumes of smoke flying into the air as the house exploded, blasting off the roof of the house and crumbling its walls.