Sterling, Virginia house explosion: 1 firefighter dead, 11 others injured – including 9 firefighters

CNN
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A house exploded in Sterling, Virginia, Friday night as fire crews were inside, leaving at least one firefighter dead and at least 11 others injured, including nine other firefighters, officials say.

The injured firefighters and two civilians were hospitalized after the blast, according to Loudoun County Fire and Rescue. Their injuries ranged from severe to less severe.

Firefighters responded around 7:40 p.m. ET “for an investigation” and were inside the home when it exploded, according to James Williams, the department’s assistant chief of operations.

Photos and video of the aftermath of the blast show a huge plume of smoke billowing from the leveled home with debris scattered into the street. Multiple fire trucks and emergency vehicles are shown at the scene.

Williams described the scene after the blast as “total devastation,” noting firefighters were initially trapped inside the wreckage and others worked to free them.

“This is the worst call that we can respond to,” he said. “This is a time where we need to support each other and hold each other up.”

It’s unclear what caused the blast or if any other surrounding homes were damaged. Williams said the fire is under investigation.

Sterling is about 20 miles northwest of Arlington and is less than 5 miles north of the Washington Dulles International Airport.

A man who lives nearby said it “looked like an inferno” when the home exploded.

“It was horrific,” John Padgett told CNN affiliate WUSA. “It looked like something out of a war zone.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.