All Centreville residents displaced by the natural gas leak that resulted in a house explosion and fire on Feb. 15 have now been cleared to return home.
Washington Gas says it restored gas service to the 19 remaining evacuated homes by 10 p.m. on Tuesday (Feb. 24), and the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department (FCFRD) has now lifted its evacuation order after detecting no gas in the environment for 48 consecutive hours.
Starting today (Friday), the utility is implementing a “phased monitoring plan” that will include daily checks for the first week along Belle Plains Drive, where the source of the gas leak was located earlier this week, the FCFRD said in a blog post last night.
The frequency of checks will gradually wind down, but no definitive end date has been identified. Weekly gas leak surveys will be conducted in an expanded area around the Belle Pond Farm neighborhood for a month.
“Residents who have reoccupied homes on Belle Plains Drive may request interior atmospheric testing,” the fire department said, adding that it will continue coordinating with affected residents. “… This layered safety approach includes multiple levels of verification and continued oversight to provide reassurance and support the long-term safety of the community as recovery continues.”
An investigation into the gas leak by the National Transportation Safety Board is ongoing. A preliminary report on the incident is expected within the next month, but the final report detailing the cause of the leak and potential contributing factors could take one to two years to become available.
The full message to customers from Washington Gas is below.
As we conclude the service restoration in Centreville, we remain focused on your safety above all else.
As of 10 p.m. on Tuesday, February 24, we safely restored gas service to all the remaining 19 evacuated homes.
Since then, we’ve worked with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department to monitor the air in your homes for 48 continuous hours to confirm gas readings remain at 0%. Only then did they deem it safe to lift the evacuation order.
As you return home, please know our work and commitment to you continues. On our website, we have provided you with our plans for system monitoring and enhanced safety protocols. We continue to share those updates via email and text and will post all communications on our website.
Reimbursement Process
Residents who incurred hotel or temporary lodging expenses are eligible for reimbursement. To submit a request, please email ombudsman@washgas.com and include the following information:
- Your name and address
- Telephone number
- Dates of displacement
- Copies of receipts
Please note that only one set of receipts per household will be accepted and all reimbursement requests must be received by March 31, 2026. Reimbursements are typically processed within 7–10 business days after submission. If additional verification is needed, we will contact you directly.
As always, if at any point you smell gas or have concerns, leave the area immediately and call 9-1-1. Once you are at a safe distance, call the Washington Gas Emergency Leak Line at 844-WASHGAS (927-4427) from a safe location.
Thank you for your continued patience and cooperation.
Photo via FCFRD/X
