A house exploded in Sterling, Virginia, Friday night as fire crews were inside checking a gas leak, leaving one firefighter dead and at least 12 others injured, including 10 other firefighters, officials say. The injured firefighters and two civilians were hospitalized after the blast, according to Loudoun County Fire and Rescue. Their injuries ranged from severe to less severe.
Crews responded to the home around 7:40 p.m. ET Friday after getting a 911 call about a gas odor coming from the residence, the Loudoun County Combined Fire and Rescue System said in a news release Saturday.
“Upon arrival, units from Sterling located a 500-gallon underground propane tank with a leak on the side of the residence” and called for a hazardous materials response team, the release said.
A short time later, a “catastrophic explosion” took place, the release said. Multiple maydays and calls for help came from the wreck, and crews rushed to find and rescue firefighters in the debris, officials said.
Photos and video of the aftermath of the blast show a huge plume of smoke billowing from the leveled home with debris scattered into the street. Multiple fire trucks and emergency vehicles could be seen responding.
Loudoun County Fire and Rescue assistant chief of operations James Williams earlier described the scene as “total devastation.” “This is the worst call that we can respond to,” he said. “This is a time where we need to support each other and hold each other up.”
The two civilians were home at the time of the incident, and they were transported with minor injuries, a department spokeswoman told CNN via email. The cause of the explosion is being investigated but officials said it is believed to have been an isolated incident and that there isn’t an ongoing threat to the community.