More than a week after a house in Centreville was decimated by a fire, leading dozens of residents to evacuate, investigators have finally identified the source of a natural gas leak that might’ve caused the explosion.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has removed a section of polyethylene plastic pipe near the corner of Quail Pond Court and Belle Plains Drive that leaked air during pressure testing, sending to a lab in D.C. for examination.
“The NTSB investigative team directed and oversaw Washington Gas conduct additional pressure testing of the surrounding distribution system in the area where gas was indicated and found no evidence of any other leaks,” the federal agency said in an update this afternoon (Tuesday).
With the apparent source of the leak identified, the NTSB announced that it has wrapped up the on-scene portion of its investigation into the incident, which destroyed a single-family house on Quail Pond Court in the Belle Pond Farm neighborhood around 9:48 p.m. on Feb. 15.
Two people were injured in the fire, including one occupant of the home and a neighbor, and residents of 46 homes were evacuated after the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department (FCFRD) determined that natural gas was leaking into the ground, likely from one of Washington Gas’ pipelines in the area.
So far, Washington Gas and the county fire department have deemed gas levels safe in all but 19 of the evacuated homes, allowing residents to return and service to be restored.
In a message to residents, Washington Gas said it has identified and repaired the leak that caused its system to fail. It’s now focusing on restoring gas service to the 19 homes still under an evacuation order.
“We are working directly with displaced residents — alongside the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department — to relight appliances and perform a leak test on each home’s gas piping,” the utility said. “Washington Gas has partnered with a local HVAC company to address any individual appliance issues at no cost to affected residents.”
The utility says it’s continuing to work with the FCFRD to conduct safety checks both inside and outside the affected homes, and it’s still covering the costs of hotel accommodations for the displaced residents.
Residents said in a community meeting last week that they had placed calls reporting an odor of natural gas the morning of Feb. 15, and Washington Gas crews were digging in the area when the house exploded, NBC4 reported.
Washington Gas has directed inquiries about the investigation to the NTSB, which is the lead agency. The board says it will next provide an update when its preliminary report is released within 30 days.
“The preliminary report will include factual information gathered during the initial phase of the investigation,” the NTSB said. “The probable cause of the accident, along with any contributing factors, will be detailed in the final report, which is expected to be completed in 12-24 months.”
The FCFRD will hold a virtual town hall meeting at 7 p.m. this Thursday (Feb. 26) to share further updates and answer questions. Residents can submit questions in advance to QuailPond@publicinput.com.
“A link to the meeting will be distributed on Thursday,” the county said. “We remain committed to transparent communication and ensuring the community has accurate, timely information.”
