Tragedy hit home last night

[Smeggie]

Some of you have probably seen the reports of the tragedy that not only happened in my neighborhood (5 houses down!) but also struck my firefighter family last night.

Many of you may (or may not) know that I have been volunteering at the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company for the past 15 years.

Last night my wife and I were finishing our dinner when I noticed a dispatch on my cell phone for an outside gas leak just up the street from my house.

These are generally routine calls, however, last night was anything but normal.  

Our crews arrived on scene to find an underground 500 gallon propane tank leaking.  As they normally do, they request a hazardous materials response to assist with these types of calls.

Within seconds the home literally exploded.  Our house shook like a plane crashed on it.  I bolted out front and saw the huge plume of smoke and a fireball that was taller than the trees.  I immediately knew what happened.

As a company photographer I grabbed my boots and my camera and bolted.  I was there in less than 3 minutes after the blast.  It was literally like a war zone.

We lost a brother last night.  And 7 others from my fire company were severely injured.  A few were released this morning, but others remain in the hospital.  Please say a prayer for them all.....

I want to thank those of you that reached out to me this morning.  You have no idea how much that means to me. 

 My wife and I, and our house are fine.  We are devastated at the loss of our beloved friend firefighter Trevor Brown.  And we are anxious to get the rest of our firefighters out of the hospital.

Please keep them all in your prayers....

Here is a local news story about the incident:

https://wtop.com/loudoun-county/2024/02/possible-house-explosion-rocks-loudoun-co-2/

 

Edited February 17, 2024 by SGTSmeg

[Crack]

im sorry to hear this brother! rip to  Trevor Brown and a speedy recovery for the rest of ur fire fighting family!

 

[rexbowan]

So sorry for your loss and glad you and your wife are ok!

[WldPenguin]

So sorry for your loss, Smeg  Prayers for you and for Trevor's family  I think sometimes we take for granted the magnitude of what first ressponders do to ensure the safety of others.  May he rest in peace.

[BUDMAN]

Tragic news for sure, sorry for your loss. Positive thoughts your way...

[Snap]

Shocking incident. Never seen anything like it. Peace be with you and your brothers on the team.

[blackwidow]

Sending prayers  for Trevor's family, and friends. May he rest in peace   Thank you and your fellow first responders for all they do, day in and day out.

[TBB]

Sorry to hear that -at least you and your wife are ok - thoughts/prayers out to those less fortunate.

[ToySoldier]

Rip to Trevor and my condolences to his family,I pray for speedy recovery for everyone hurt..for me this hits home so sorry to hear this

[YACCster]

So sorry for your loss buddy.  We heard and felt it all the way over here.

[ShadyBrady]

Holy shit, Smeg! That's so tragic. Glad to hear you guys are okay. Thoughts to the families of those injured and lost..  

[lTplkey336]

My son is a fireman, my prayers are with you God bless.

[Shadow]

Holy shit!  my thoughts are with your community. 

[Majbasil]

As I lived in Ashburn for years, I know the area extremely well.  Been following this (as well as the plane landing on Ashburn (Loudoun County) Parkway last month) and it is so so so very tragic this happened!  OMG!  Not sure if folks realize that Loudoun County, VA has an all VOLUNTEER Fire Dept.  These are heros all of them.  That one of yours died, and so many others were burned and wounded by debris is heartbreaking.  I am so sorry for you, for Sterling, for all the firemen/women of Loudoun County, apparently even a Fairfax fireman was hurt (Sterling is not far from the Fairfax County border.)  

 

Youtube is the best way to get info about this, here are some links --> 

 

 

 

Edited February 18, 2024 by Majbasil

[WeednFeed]

@SGTSmeg Omg Just reading this now. So sorry to hear this sad news. Every day our essential service providers and our first responders are out there dedicating themselves for our benefit. Too often we the general public go through our daily lives without a worry in the world we sometimes take our safety for granted..

It is events like these where we see, understand, and appreciate the true value of those who have the calling to serve in harms way. 
My sincere condolences to all those affected by this tragedy and loss.

Wayne

[BlackRose]

Wow thats horrible. looks like house next door had minimal damage,,that could have taken out a few houses.

Sorry for your loss but glad your safe!

[KaptCrunch]

22 hours ago, Crack said:

im sorry to hear this brother! rip to  Trevor Brown and a speedy recovery for the rest of ur fire fighting family!

 

Echo  that  and the rest of nieboroughood of the tragity 

[PHUCKITMAN]

@SGTSmeg Our Prayers go out to your family including your firefighting brothers and sisters. Seems like these types of things are making the news more often as infrastructure is falling apart all over the country. I hope those guys all make a full recovery and can return to their loved ones. I am so grateful knowing our local fire dept has a station just 10 blocks from our house. They were here in under 5 mins when I had my heart attack almost 1 year ago and got me to the ER within the GOLDEN HOUR. True hero's all of you that put on a helmet and coat and grab a ax

[Smeggie]

1 hour ago, BlackRose said:

Wow thats horrible. looks like house next door had minimal damage,,that could have taken out a few houses.

Sorry for your loss but glad your safe!

Most of the blast went out towards the Alpha side (front) of the house and to the Delta side (right side) but the debris field was 100 yards in pretty much every direction.  The house to the right is uninhabitable and the homeowners are displaced.  The house directly across the street suffered significant damage and it blew the back doors out of that house.  Those folks are able to stay in their house.  

We had one fire engine positioned three houses to the right at a fire hydrant.  A 2x4 blasted through several trees taking down very large branches with it.  The 2x4 hit the fire engine and took out the officer side windshield and ripped the large mirror on that side of the engine.  Our tower truck was parked in the street just to the Bravo side (left side) of the house and a large section of the roof landed that truck with enough force it dislodged the ladder from it's parked position and significantly dented the side of it.  

Several of the houses closest to the blast have been condemned until contractors are able to get in and shore them up.  Even though the siding may look okay on the outside they have significant structural damage to them.  Vinyl siding flexes.  drywall and 2x4's not so much 

 

[EastCoast50]

On 2/17/2024 at 12:44 PM, SGTSmeg said:

Some of you have probably seen the reports of the tragedy that not only happened in my neighborhood (5 houses down!) but also struck my firefighter family last night.

Many of you may (or may not) know that I have been volunteering at the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company for the past 15 years.

Last night my wife and I were finishing our dinner when I noticed a dispatch on my cell phone for an outside gas leak just up the street from my house.

These are generally routine calls, however, last night was anything but normal.  

Our crews arrived on scene to find an underground 500 gallon propane tank leaking.  As they normally do, they request a hazardous materials response to assist with these types of calls.

Within seconds the home literally exploded.  Our house shook like a plane crashed on it.  I bolted out front and saw the huge plume of smoke and a fireball that was taller than the trees.  I immediately knew what happened.

As a company photographer I grabbed my boots and my camera and bolted.  I was there in less than 3 minutes after the blast.  It was literally like a war zone.

We lost a brother last night.  And 7 others from my fire company were severely injured.  A few were released this morning, but others remain in the hospital.  Please say a prayer for them all.....

I want to thank those of you that reached out to me this morning.  You have no idea how much that means to me. 

 My wife and I, and our house are fine.  We are devastated at the loss of our beloved friend firefighter Trevor Brown.  And we are anxious to get the rest of our firefighters out of the hospital.

Please keep them all in your prayers....

Here is a local news story about the incident:

https://wtop.com/loudoun-county/2024/02/possible-house-explosion-rocks-loudoun-co-2/

 

Condolences to you and your department on your loss. As a former 15 year fire-rescue/EMS volunteer I can understand the difficult time his family -- and your department -- is in now. As the incident was happening, I texted a friend who is a Loudoun County firefighter just to make sure he and his father (also Loudoun County FD) were ok. He was there and said the scene was utter chaos.

Be MORE than safe out there.

- Lev

[Roxy!]

Sorry to hear this Smeg, my prayers are on the way. 

[Smeggie]

3 hours ago, EastCoast50 said:

Condolences to you and your department on your loss. As a former 15 year fire-rescue/EMS volunteer I can understand the difficult time his family -- and your department -- is in now. As the incident was happening, I texted a friend who is a Loudoun County firefighter just to make sure he and his father (also Loudoun County FD) were ok. He was there and said the scene was utter chaos.

Be MORE than safe out there.

- Lev

Thanks Lev, appreciate this.  I wonder if I know your friends.  Know what station they are assigned to?  Perhaps you can share a name here or privately.

[major-mark63]

i didint know that propane reservoirs could be underground, in Canada never saw that only lines could be buried at 18-24 inches deep.

you bet i would explode like a bomb!!!

 

[Smeggie]

2 hours ago, major-mark63 said:

i didint know that propane reservoirs could be underground, in Canada never saw that only lines could be buried at 18-24 inches deep.

you bet i would explode like a bomb!!!

 

Burying propane tanks in Virginia is common practice.  Most people don't, but there are some that do.  Many people in the area rent their propane tanks, thus they are usually installed outside.

The propane tank did not actually explode.  Propane is liquid and is denser than air so it will collect in the lowest point in the house, which makes a more dangerous explosion risk.  Propane had leaked into the basement of the house.  The house blew up, not the tank.  There are probably 30+ Fire Marshal's, investigators and the ATF onsite as we speak, investigating.  Who knows if they will be able to figure out what caused the ignition.

[JinB]

Sorry to hear this Smeg!  Prayers for you and Trevor's family including your firefighting brothers and sisters