STERLING, Va. — A house exploded in Sterling Friday night, trapping several firefighters beneath the rubble. A day later, officials say the homeowner is alive today because of her actions that night.
Firefighters were called to the home on Silver Ridge Drive shortly after 7:30 p.m. for reports of the smell of gas outside the home. Upon arrival, they found the underground propane tank with a leak on the side of the property. Crews called for Loudoun County’s Hazardous Materials Response Team, as well as additional units from Sterling, South Riding, and numerous command staff and safety officers. However, a short time later the house exploded while firefighters were inside the home.
As a result of the explosion, 12 people were injured and one firefighter was killed. Of those injured, 10 were first responders and two were civilians. All have varying degrees of injuries.
In a press conference Saturday morning, Loudoun County System Chief Keith Johnson said the homeowner called 911 after noticing the smell of gas in and around her home. Upon arrival, firefighters assessed the situation outside the home and evacuated the two occupants and their pets.
"She called 911, she's alive today because she did," He said.
So what are the best steps you can take immediately if you smell gas in your home?
According to the New Hampshire Department of Energy, there are four things you should do upon smelling gas inside your home or business:
- Get out immediately and go to a safe location 300 feet away or more.
- Instruct others to leave and evacuate the premises immediately.
- Close the door behind you.
- Once outside and away from the building, call 911 immediately.
Additionally, there are several things you should never do upon smelling gas inside your home or business, including:
- Do not use electrical switches, telephones, appliances, garage door openers, etc. This can cause sparks.
- Do not use lighters or matches. Do not smoke.
- Do not open doors or windows in an attempt to ventilate
- Do not turn off your gas meter. This should only be done by a qualified representative.
If you notice the smell of gas outside a home or business, NHDOE says you should do:
- Take note of the exact street location and cross streets where you smell gas and call 911 immediately.
- Stay clear of the area.
However, there are several things people should never do when smelling gas outside:
- Do not start any motors or motor vehicles near the area of the gas odor.
- Do not use lighters or matches and do not smoke.
The cause of the Sterling house explosion is still under investigation. Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Fire Marshal's Office is still at the property where the house was leveled to investigate the origin of the explosion. They believe it to be an isolated incident with no danger to the community.
"We do not have any complete cause of the fire, we can assume it was propane-related but no complete cause has been initiated," Johnson explained. He later added, "We don't know what caused the explosion, certainly any ignition source will cause an explosion if there's a level of gas."
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