Officials continue to search for source of gas leak that led to Centreville home explosion
Search for source of gas leak that led to Centreville home explosion continues
Residents in a Centreville community are demanding answers at a heated town hall meeting. This comes as investigators continue to search for the source of a gas leak that led to a home explosion, forcing evacuations. FOX 5’s Shomari Stone has more.
CENTREVILLE, Va. - After a gas explosion rocked a Centreville community on Sunday, investigators are still trying to find the source of a leak.
Dozens of families still haven’t been able to return to their homes, and dozens more could potentially be displaced out of caution.
Now, the NTSB is urging all residents to check their home cameras and send any video of the blast to the agency.
In the community:
On Tuesday, the National Transportation and Safety Board, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, Williams Companies and Washington Gas hosted a town hall for impacted residents and those who could be impacted.
\Fairfax County Fire and Rescue remain on scene, and officials say if investigators are unable to pinpoint where the leak started, the evacuation perimeter could expand to impact at least 100 more homes.
"People are concerned. People are angry that they’re displaced. People are concerned that it wasn’t detected beforehand," Centreville resident Cami Minks told FOX 5. "How do we keep safe? What precautions should we take? Overall, I think that was the major concern people have."
Minks is one of many residents displaced due to the gas leak.
About 100 residents showed up to the town hall meeting to get questions answered two days after the home in the Centreville neighborhood exploded.
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue says the search is still on for the source of a gas leak.
Officials still investigating gas leak that caused Centreville home explosion
After a gas explosion rocked a Centreville community on Sunday, investigators are still trying to find the source of a leak. Dozens of families still haven’t returned to their homes, and potentially dozens more are being displaced out of caution. FOX 5's Tisha Lewis has the latest details.
What we know:
The gas leak reportedly started on the 14000 block of Quail Pond Court in Centreville, but the exact location remains a mystery.
Crews are still working to find, detect, eliminate and repair potential leaks. Some residents who remain in the homes outside the evacuation perimeter say they woke up today to their gas and heat being cut off without notice.
At this time, officials say 46 homes have been evacuated, and 82 homes are without natural gas service.
They also say there are five lines in the area operated by Williams Companies and Washington Gas. Both providers have remained on site as the investigation continues.
"Right now, Washington Gas has multiple dig sites in process as they try to access the lines," Assistant Chief Eric Craven with Fairfax County Fire and Rescue said.
What they're saying:
Several residents have reported a residual smell of gas that they believe is coming up through the ground, but again, the original source of the leak remains unknown.