Authorities are still working to stabilize and identify the exact source of the natural gas-related home explosion in Centreville on Sunday (Feb. 15). The ongoing leak has led to days-long evacuations and gas service shutoffs for nearby homes.
The National Transportation Safety Board, which investigates gas transmission pipeline incidents, is leading the federal investigation into the home explosion.
The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department (FCFRD) is assisting the NTSB with the investigation as well as Washington Gas and Williams Pipeline Companies, whose natural gas distribution and transmission lines, respectively, are being tested.
The potential source being investigated is a Washington Gas distribution line in the 5200 block of Belle Plains Drive, which is on one side of the corner-lot home that exploded. The gas company is investigating a loss of pressure in the gas line.
At a news briefing in Centreville yesterday (Wednesday), Fairfax Fire and Rescue’s assistant chief of operations Eric Craven said the gas company is making ongoing repairs that may take 48 hours or more.
“The gas company hasn’t put eyes on the exact location of the pipe where the leak occurred, but they know the section of pipe where they’re losing pressure,” Craven said. “They’re narrowing that scope more and more into a small area of pipe that’s now a section about 1,000 feet long.”
No concerns have been identified so far with Williams’ transmission line, which is located to the side of the home that exploded. Craven said the gas company isolated its line and continues to monitor it.
FCFRD units responded to the single-family home in the 14300 block of Quail Pond Court for a fire around 9:48 p.m. on Sunday (Feb. 15).
One resident and a neighbor were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and have since been released, according to Craven.
“The occupant of the house who was inside at the time of the explosion and was assisted out by a neighbor after the explosion is extremely fortunate,” Craven said. “Thankfully they had neighbors that were willing to step up and assist in such a time of peril.”
On Wednesday, the fire department released body camera footage of the response to the home explosion and fire.
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue is releasing operational footage from the Quail Pond gas explosion. Crews arrived to heavy damage and fire, initiated attack, searched for occupants, secured utilities, and established unified command. NTSB is the lead investigation agency. pic.twitter.com/T3JcRxXKPT
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) February 18, 2026
Due to the leak, natural gas service was turned off for about 86 homes, and 46 homes were evacuated, according to Craven. The evacuations have been lifted for 11 homes, leaving 35 homes still off limits.
The timing of residents returning to evacuated homes depends on the location and repair of any gas leak and normal atmospheric readings in homes, according to Craven. The fire department is conducting atmospheric readings in the impacted homes.
The assistant chief said the 11 homes “are quite a distance away from the impacted area” and had normal atmospheric readings for more than two days.
Craven couldn’t confirm when most other homes could be reoccupied but said “the best case scenario” was Friday evening (Feb. 20).
The federal investigation by the NTSB will determine a probable cause for the explosion and issue safety recommendations, but it won’t assign liability for the incident.
Pat Warren, director of NTSB’s Office of Rail, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Investigations, said four investigators started working at the scene on Monday.
They will remain until they collect all needed evidence and ensure it is safe for residents to return to the area. Per Warren, investigators will be monitoring repairs to any identified gas leaks.
The full report with probable cause and safety recommendations could take as long as 12 to 14 months to issue. However, NTSB could recommend earlier actions to take if it finds an urgent safety issue during the investigation, according to Warren.
“To the community, our hearts go out to all of you,” Warren said. “We know that the accident has been very unsettling and disruptive. The safety of the community is our top priority and the reason we are here, to find out what happened, how it happened, and what recommendations to help ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith reiterated that safety of the community is the top concern.
”I totally understand the concern of the community because you want all the answers right away,” Smith said at the news briefing. “But I think the most important thing for the community right now is these people behind me are going to make sure that the community is safe, and they won’t let them back in their homes until they know they’re safe.”
Washington Gas did not have a representative at yesterday’s media briefing and has referred questions about the investigation to the NTSB. Warren said the gas company is cooperating with the NTSB’s investigation.
The NTSB has created a web page to track its Centreville home explosion investigation. Witnesses or anyone with surveillance video or other information about the investigation can contact NTSB at witness@ntsb.gov.
