STERLING, VA – A house explosion in Sterling, Virginia has resulted in the fatal injury of a firefighter and harm to 13 others. Among those injured were 11 first responders and two other individuals, according to authorities.
The deceased firefighter has been identified as Trevor Brown, 45, as revealed in a post by Loudon County Fire and Rescue on Facebook.
The fire department initially responded to a reported smell of gas emanating from a residence on Silver Ridge Drive around 7:38 p.m. on Friday. Upon arrival, they found an underground propane tank capable of holding 500 gallons with an evident leak.
The situation escalated to include the Loudoun County’s Hazardous Materials Response Team due to the severity of the leak. Shortly after their arrival, the residence experienced a significant explosion, prompting multiple distress calls from firefighters within the building.
Further assistance arrived from Fairfax County and the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority to contend with the explosive situation. The rescue units raced to identify and locate all those trapped under the debris ensuing from the explosion.
Besides the loss of one firefighter, 11 first responders and two other individuals incurred injuries. All of them were promptly transported to local hospitals in the aftermath of the explosion.