Home Explosion Aftermath: Challenges With Home Explosion Emergency Response Identified

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — A report on the strengths and weaknesses of the response to the fatal February 2024 home explosion in Sterling notes areas for improvement, according to Loudoun County Fire and Rescue.

The home explosion, which killed Sterling Volunteer Fire Company Firefighter Trevor Brown and injured 13 other people, has led to an indictment against a gas company employee.

After the home explosion, Loudoun County Fire and Rescue System Chief Keith Johnson created a team to review what worked well and what didn't work well with the local and regional response. The report provides recommendations to improve future responses with safety and efficiency. The team was held by Chief Thomas Coe of the Frederick County, Maryland, Division of Fire and Rescue Services.

"In summary, the completed [significant incident report] underscores the need for continuous improvement in emergency response protocols, training, and communication strategies to mitigate risks and enhance the safety of responders in high-pressure situations," Loudoun County Fire and Rescue said in a news release. "By implementing the recommendations outlined in this report, [Loudoun County Combined Fire and Rescue] members can better prepare for, and respond to, similar incidents in the future, ultimately saving lives and safeguarding communities.

Challenges identified in the report focused on responding personnel not fully being aware of the risks presented at the scene and issues with command coordination and water supply.

• Risk assessment: The report found personnel did not fully understand the key contributing factors on the scene, which posed a risk to the responding personnel.
• Event escalation: The report noted the change from a gas leak call to a "catastrophic explosion" caught responding personnel off guard.
• Communications: The report found challenges with communicating critical information and confusion with mayday calls.

The report also noted a challenge with getting a proper water supply and coordinating the rescue operation of trapped personnel.

Lastly, the report said the command personnel had difficulty managing the complex and evolving situation.

On the other hand, areas that the report said benefited the response were training, coordination by the Emergency Communications Center, technical rescue expertise, and behavioral health response for personnel.

The home explosion happened on Feb. 16, 2024 at 347 Silver Ridge Drive in Sterling. The fire and rescue department had responded to a gas leak report and found an underground propane tank was leaking. Firefighters requested a hazmat team and evacuated residents from the home, which exploded soon after and trapped several firefighters in the burning debris.

Two firefighters were rescued. The explosion caused the line-of-duty death of Brown, a volunteer firefighter with a wife and three children. Ten first responders had significant injuries, while two residents had minor injuries.

Roger Bentley, a former employee of Southern States Cooperative, Inc. – Leesburg – Fairfax Petroleum Service, was indicted by a grand jury in October 2024. As reported by Fox5DC, search warrants indicated the homeowner had contacted the propane supplier about servicing the home's tank, which was intended for a pool that wasn't used. The report said that Southern States Cooperative knew about the tank concern for years but didn't address it because it wasn't being used.

On the day of the explosion, an employee filled the propane tank and noticed a propane smell, according to Fox5DC. He contacted supervisors, and Bentley responded and decided to "let the petroleum seep out." The home explosion happened four hours later, and Bentley had tried to contact the homeowner not long before the explosion and afterward.

Bentley is charged with involuntary manslaughter; unlawful failure to maintain required records of an unauthorized discharge of hazardous materials, namely, liquified petroleum gas; and unlawful failure to control or mitigate the unauthorized discharge of hazardous materials, namely, liquified petroleum gas (propane).

According to the report, training that helped personnel trapped in the explosion was the mayday training required for the firefighter I and II positions. Before the explosion, telecommunications staff with the Emergency Communications Center did mayday training that helped prepare for firefighter rescue operations.

The report also praised the support from Loudoun County Fire and Rescue's Emergency Communications Center. The staff were credited with managing and tracking radio communications throughout the incident and providing the incident commander with timely information.

Technical rescue units also had a positive impact on the response, according to the report. Units from Loudoun County’s Kincora Station and Fairfax County’s North Point Station had quickly arrived to the scene to coordinate and carry out a victim removal plan.

Lastly, the report acknowledged that Loudoun County Fire and Rescue personnel had access to peer support team members, clinicians, and canines at a central location after the explosion. The fire department says its behavioral health team remains ready to help personnel needing assistance.

The fire and rescue department says its leaders will use recommendations from the report in the coming months to develop more training and areas for improvement.