More residents return home following Centreville house explosion
Some, but not all residents are returning to their homes, nine days after a house explosion on Quail Pond Court in Centreville, Virginia.
An evacuation order remains in place as the National Transportation Safety Board continues its investigation into which of five gas pipelines in the neighborhood may have contributed to the blast and fire.
But Washington Gas said it is moving into the next phase of service restoration.
“This includes carefully reintroducing gas into parts of the system in controlled stages (repressurizing) and checking for any potential issues along the way,” said the utility, in a Feb. 23 letter to customers.
Tuesday morning, crews from Fairfax County Fire and Rescue were on the scene, conducting safety checks in the neighborhood.
On Sunday, the agency said clearance had been granted to restore gas service to 42 of the 44 impacted homes in the neighborhood.
Most of the nearby homes had their gas service cut after the blast, which left two people with minor injuries and displaced residents.
According to Washington Gas, “The evacuation remains in effect. You should not return to your home until you receive direct communication from Fairfax County officials letting you know it is safe to do so.”
For homes that remain under the evacuation order, Washington Gas said it will work with the fire department to enter each home, once cleared to do so, to perform a leak check on the home’s gas piping and reactivate appliances safely.
As a final step, the fire department will conduct a safety check inside each home, and make the determination whether it is safe for residents to return.
Washington Gas to reimburse displaced residents
The utility said it will continue to cover temporary lodging for people in the neighborhood who have been out of their homes since the blast.
In addition, residents who incurred hotel or temporary lodging expenses due to the evacuation are eligible for reimbursement.
According to Washington Gas: To submit a request, please email ombudsman@washgas.com and include the following:
- Your name and address
- Telephone number
- Dates of displacement
- Copies of receipts
The utility said only one set of receipts will be accepted per household, and all reimbursement requests must be received by March 31.