As the investigation continues into the cause of a deadly explosion of a Northern Virginia house, authorities are blocking some propane deliveries by the company that supplied gas to the Loudoun County home.
The Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Fire Marshal’s Office said in a statement that it is working with Southern States Cooperative, Inc. – Leesburg – Fairfax Petroleum Service to review and update the company’s fire code related information.
The fire marshal said Southern States supplied propane to the house on 347 Silver Ridge Drive in Sterling that exploded on Feb. 16, killing Loudoun County firefighter Trevor Brown and injuring several others.
The fire marshal has imposed restrictions on the company until it completes its fire code updates, Loudoun County Fire and Rescue spokeswoman Laura Rinehart said. This includes all branches of Southern States that deliver or transfer propane to the county and its incorporated towns.
Some residents in those areas may experience interruptions to their normal propane delivery, authorities said.
For now, Southern States is only authorized to deliver propane in a limited capacity, Rinehart said.
If residents who are Southern States customers are out of propane now or if they are going to run out within 48 hours, “Southern States can go out there and assist them,” Rinehart said, adding that this step is being taken to “limit the impact” to Loudoun County customers.
She said many people rely on propane, especially in the western end of the county, and the fire department did not want to create “hardship” while waiting for the updates from Southern States.
A 500-gallon tank was leaking into and around the house before the explosion, authorities said. Investigators are still trying to determine the source that ignited the fire.
WTOP reached out to Southern States for the number of customers who might be affected by the restriction.
In a statement, the company said, “Southern States Cooperative cannot comment on the details of an on-going investigation. We are cooperating with authorities on both the investigation and all requirements. No further details are available to share at this time.”
In neighboring Fairfax County, a spokesperson for Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department said in a statement, “We’ve become aware of the actions that Loudoun County has taken in reference to a propane distributor. We are evaluating potential future actions that we may take in regard to all propane suppliers that operate in Fairfax County.”
WTOP’s Scott Gelman contributed to this report.
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