A huge explosion has destroyed at least one home in a suburb of Washington DC as police executed a search warrant, authorities said.

Before the blast in Arlington, Virginia, police said someone from inside the house had fired shots as officers tried to enter.

Police said earlier they had responded to reports of someone firing a flare gun from a residence.

It is not clear if anyone was hurt in Monday night's explosion.

Some residents in the surrounding area said on social media they felt their homes shake.

The fire department is trying to extinguish the blaze.