Early in the evening of March 15, 2021, a local townhome in the Centreville area caught on fire after a propane tank exploded in the home. More than ten ambulances and firefighters entered the scene to evacuate neighbors and hose off the house. Evidence showed the explosion came from the kitchen and burned the basement as well as the second floor. The roof and all the windows were destroyed. As of now, the home is not in liveable condition.

While there is no word on how many victims were injured, the family was known as friendly and kind. A neighbor who knew the family personally said, “I was facetiming my parents while making a snack and I heard this loud ‘boom’. My first instinct was to run outside and see what had happened.” She then described the fire as a “bright orange and yellow flame which spread very quickly.”

The fire caused a lot of damage, but it also caused extensive damage to the surrounding environment. Debris and broken glass from the explosion covered the grass and plants around the area which made it unsafe to walk on. Also, smoke plagued the air and it became very difficult to see and to breathe, even with a mask.

Flowers and sympathy cards have been placed on the doorstep of the burned house by many neighbors. Fairfax County is currently working to rebuild the home which could take about 8 to 16 months. As of now, CVHS sends its condolences to the family of this unfortunate incident.