An explosion at a home in Virginia on Friday involved a 500-gallon propane tank buried underground, resulting in the death of one firefighter and injuries to others, according to officials on Saturday. The Loudoun County Fire and Rescue team responded to a call about a gas leak at a Sterling home around 7:40 p.m., as explained by Chief Keith Johnson during a press briefing. He noted that the leaking propane had seeped into the residence. The explosion occurred while firefighters were inside the building, said Assistant Chief of Operations James Williams.
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“Total devastation,” is how Williams described the scene and damage. “There’s a debris field well into the street and into the neighboring homes.”
Originally, officials reported that nine firefighters were injured, with injuries ranging from serious to minor. However, updates on Saturday revealed that at least 10 people were injured, including two residents of the home who sustained minor injuries. Firefighters were able to evacuate the residents and their pets from the house. Currently, four first responders are still hospitalized. The deceased firefighter was identified as Trevor Brown, 45, a member of the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company.
“Please keep Firefighter Brown’s family, friends, and colleagues in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time, and we ask that the family’s privacy be respected,” Loudoun County Fire and Rescue said in a post on X.
Johnson said they have not yet determined a “complete cause” of the explosion.
“We can assume it was propane-related, but no complete cause has been initiated,” he said.
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The cause of the explosion has not been definitively determined, although Johnson mentioned it is likely related to propane. The incident is under further investigation by the Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office, with assistance from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and support from Utility Washington Gas. Sterling is a community located west of Washington, D.C., with approximately 30,000 residents.