STERLING, Va. — The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) will conduct its own investigation after a house explosion in Sterling killed a volunteer firefighter.
Trevor Brown, 45, was one of the firefighters who responded to a home on Silver Ridge Drive Friday after neighbors reported a strong smell. Brown was outside of the house and died when it exploded.
Loudoun County Fire & Rescue Chief Keith Johnson said after his request to the U.S. Fire Administration, NIOSH -- under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- will get involved into investigating what led to Brown's death.
“They will fly in resources to be able to complete an objective look at this, which will follow the efforts of this board and be fully transparent when that report is done,” Johnson told Loudoun County supervisors.
Johnson also said there are efforts to establish a "significant incident team" comprised of internal and external members including Federick County Fire & Rescue Chief Tom Coe. The goal is to analyze the response.
“That's a review process where we will look at every aspect of this incident and find out what our folks did, what they did well, what we could do better and what we will learn and share with everyone,” Johnson added.
As of early Wednesday afternoon, fire crews and marshals remained at the scene on Silver Ridge Drive. The focus is on an underground 500-gallon propane tank that leaked last Friday night. While Johnson said a tank that size is common in the area, there are many questions surrounding what caused the "flammable atmosphere."
Two firefighters remain in the burn unit at MedStar Washington Center with second-degree burns, including Loudoun County Public Schools teacher Brian Diamond. The chief said survival rate for firefighters in a position of being trapped in the rubble isn’t high.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin is reportedly looking into the injured victims as well.
The nine other firefighters injured, including one from Fairfax County, have been released from the hospital.
“We’re doing everything that we can to support the men and women who were injured on the scene,” Loudoun County Fire & Rescue Operational Medical Directgor Dr. John Morgan told WUSA9. “It could be a month or two or three away when people will start having issues, so we have to make sure to have that support in the long haul.”
Chief Johnson urged anyone who wants to help to donate to the Loudoun First Responders Foundation. To learn more, click on this link.
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