Virginia Delivery Van Fire Shared As Terrorist Attack In Washington D.C.

A video of a fire caused by an Amazon delivery van’s engine malfunction in Virginia is being falsely shared on social media as footage of a terrorist attack in Washington DC, United States.

The Claim

The video shows smoke rising from behind a tree as sirens can be heard in the background. It is being shared with a caption on X and Facebook: "Terrorist attack in #Washington! Van with car bomb #EXPLODES in DC! Smoke visible from across city! #Mercedes Van blew up on the south side of the capital!"

Russia Today (RT), a Russian state-controlled media outlet, initially misreported the video on June 29. The handle posted it on X with the false claim that a van exploded in Washington, D.C., but later tweeted an update citing ABC7, a Los Angeles based TV station, and Arlington Fire & EMS (Emergency Medical Services) to clarify that the fire was caused by a malfunctioning engine, with no explosion involved.

What We Found

1. Fire Caused By Engine Malfunction In Van

BOOM ran a keyword search and found several news reports on the incident reporting that the fire was caused due to an engine malfunction of an Amazon truck in Arlington, Virginia, and not a terrorist attack or car bomb explosion in Washington, D.C.

2. Video Location

Social media posts falsely identified the location as Washington D.C, the capital of the US, However, the incident actually occurred on South Clark Street in Arlington, Virginia, which lies directly across the Potomac River from D.C. This is the geo-location of the area.

3. Arlington Fire Service Confirms Incident

On June 29, Arlington Fire & EMS posted on X stating that they responded to the scene of the fire and confirmed that a gas-powered Amazon delivery van caught fire due to a malfunctioning engine on South Clark Street in Arlington. In a statement posted on X they clarified, "This was a gas-powered vehicle that caught fire due to a malfunctioning engine. There was no explosion, and no packages were involved." DC Police Department further refuted the viral claim on X denying that a van had exploded.