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UPDATED: SUV crashes into gas line on Ox Road, prompting evacuations

By Angela Woolsey and Mary Stachyra Lopez
SUV perched on a street curb/green post with a group of rescue workers around it
Emergency responders in yellow vests inspect a car crash on the highway shoulder near a grass verge beneath a clear sky.
Fire truck with a tall ladder labeled 'Tower 403' occupying a sunny two-lane road by green grass and trees on the left.
Fire truck with an extended ladder blocking a road; emergency lights on, a car off the roadway to the left, and a worker in a reflective vest nearby.
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An SUV driving the wrong way crashed this morning (Wednesday) into a Washington Gas regulation station on Ox Road (Route 123) near Burke Centre Parkway in Fairfax Station, resulting in a gas leak that forced evacuations of a nearby school, day care and church.

The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department (FCFRD) responded at around 10:57 a.m. to the intersection, where it was immediately clear that there was a leak, said Deputy Chief Dave Barlow.

“It was very loud, and it was very clear when units arrived on scene that there was a gas line,” Barlow said. 

A section of northbound Route 123 was temporarily shut down as Washington Gas worked to repair the 12-inch gas line. The Fairfax County Department of Emergency Management and Security, police department, and City of Fairfax Fire and Rescue Department also responded to the scene.

Traffic camera footage of the crash, shared by public safety watcher Dave Statter, suggests the driver was on the wrong side of the road when they crashed. An SUV is seen squeezing past another vehicle waiting in a left-turn lane on Ox Road and crossing to the other side of the road in the Burke Centre Parkway intersection before veering off the street after crossing Burke Centre Parkway and crashing.

The driver has been transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Barlow said. Police are still investigating whether factors such as a medical emergency played a part in the crash.

No other vehicles were involved in the incident.

Per scanner traffic, a “significant odor” of gas was reportedly detected in Fairview Elementary School, which was evacuated, as were businesses at Burke Centre Shopping Center.

A Fairfax County Public Schools spokesperson confirmed that “several” schools in the area were affected, adding that staff at those sites “have been relocated for the remainder of the day.” No students were present, since the new school year doesn’t begin until Monday (Aug. 24).

According to Barlow, the area evacuated was about 500 feet; occupants have since been allowed back in the buildings.

“Anytime you’re dealing with natural gas — obviously, we’ve had some experiences with that in the county — but given the weather, conditions were in our favor,” Barlow said.

“We weren’t getting readings in any of the buildings,” he added.

Earlier this year, dozens of homes in Centreville’s Belle Pond Farm neighborhood were evacuated and two people were injured after a gas leak triggered a house explosion. An initial report released in March by the National Transportation Safety Board confirmed resident reports that Washington Gas crews were working in the area to repair a reported leak when the explosion occurred.

The NTSB is still investigating the Feb. 15 incident, with a final report confirming the likely cause of the leak and explosion expected to take one to two years to complete.

According to Washington Gas, the crash and subsequent leak didn’t affect service for any of its customers.

“Our crews are on scene to repair the line,” the utility company said in a statement to FFXnow. “Our priority is to protect the safety of our customers, the public and our personnel. We will provide updates as more information becomes available.”

About the Authors

  • Angela Woolsey is the site editor for FFXnow. A graduate of George Mason University, she worked as a general assignment reporter for the Fairfax County Times before joining Local News Now as the Tysons Reporter editor in 2020.

  • Mary Stachyra Lopez is a staff reporter covering business, public safety, education, and other community issues for Local News Now. She has previously worked at Patch.com, the Arlington Catholic Herald, and The Atlantic.