Virginia
Leaking underground propane tank found at Virginia home before deadly house explosion
STERLING, Va. — When firefighters arrived at a home in a Washington, D.C., suburb to investigate a report about a gas smell Friday night, they discovered a 500-gallon underground propane tank with a leak on the side of the residence.
A short time later, the house exploded and burst into flames, with multiple mayday calls coming from the firefighters trapped inside. Crews rushed in to try to rescue them from the debris that covered them, but one firefighter was killed and nine others were injured, Loudoun County Fire and Rescue officials said in a news release.
The origin and cause of the explosion is under investigation. Authorities did not say if they believe the propane tank leak caused the explosion.
James Williams, assistant chief of operations, said the firefighters’ injuries range from limited to severe. Two other people were also injured and treated at hospitals for injuries that were not life-threatening.
Williams described damage to the home in Sterling as “total devastation.”
“There’s a debris field well into the street and into the neighboring homes,” he said Friday during a news conference.
Sterling is located about 22 miles (35 kilometers) northwest of Washington, D.C.
In a news release Saturday, Loudoun County Fire and Rescue said the emergency communications center received a 911 call reporting a gas odor shortly after 7:30 p.m. Friday. After firefighters found the leak in the underground propane tank, they requested a hazardous materials response team and additional units and safety officers. The house exploded a short time later.
A neighbor, John Padgett, told ABC7 News that he had smelled gas while walking his dog earlier.
The blast shook his home, he said.
“It looked like an inferno,” and insulation from the burning home fell like ash, he added. “It was horrific; it looked like something out of a war zone.”
Washington Gas issued a statement on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, saying it has company representatives on the scene and is assisting Loudoun County fire officials and other authorities in the investigation.
“We are verifying the integrity of our system in the surrounding area,” the company said. “Our hearts go out to those who were injured and to the Loudoun County Fire department for the loss of one of their own.”
The Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Fire Marshal’s Office was also on the scene Saturday and is investigating the origin and cause of the explosion.
“This is believed to be an isolated incident and there is no ongoing danger to the community,” Loudoun County Fire and Rescue said in a statement.
The body of the firefighter who died was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to determine the cause and manner of death.
Aerial of the Cutalong course and main clubhouse at the Tributer Resort in central Virginia. The property has plans to add a second 18-hole championship course designed by Tiger Woods.
RON BLUNT STUDIO | Tributer Resort
A new Tiger Woods-designed course is coming to the Tributer Resort in Lake Anna, Virginia, a future member offering for the growing residential component in development at the destination property that in 2021 opened one of the top new courses in the state.
The second course won’t begin construction until 2028 but the project from TGR Design is part of the ambitious expansion plans from Reef Capital Partners, the ownership group behind newer golf destinations such as Black Desert Resort (UT) and Sweetens Cove (TN) that continue to gain popularity.
Situated in central Virginia, about 55 miles north of Richmond and 85 miles southwest of Washington D.C., Tributer Resort currently has Cutalong Golf Club, an 18-hole championship layout modeled after C.B. Macdonald’s National Golf Links of America. The current course was recognized by Golf Digest in 2023 as one of the Top 5 best new private courses in the U.S. and the forthcoming TGR course will provide a second distinct championship golf experience.
The routing for the new, member-only TGR Design course at Tributer Resort in Central Virginia.
Tributer Resort
Tributer Resort is evolving into a lifestyle and residential destination under Reef Capital Partners, which acquired the property in 2018, with a year-round environment rooted in golf as well as hospitality and waterfront living near Lake Anna. When complete, the community will include more than 900 residences along with multiple dining spaces, wellness amenities, lakeside recreation, curated outdoor experiences, and trail systems.
“This new course announcement represents a major milestone in the evolution of Tributer Resort and reinforces our commitment to building a premier golf destination at Lake Anna,” said Tributer Resort General Manager Ian Sikes. “Together with our existing offerings, this addition brings a new level of excitement and distinction to the club and community.”
Tributer Resort is adding more golf-centric accommodations as part of its expansion.
Tributer Resort The residential component of the resort currently includes seven golf villas and eight cottages, all of which are member-owned but available to guests interested in stay-and-play packages at the property, in addition to estate lots with golf course views. Buildout plans call for a total of 22 golf villas (four bedrooms) and 34 cottages (two bedrooms), although guests will only have access to the Cutalong course, not the new TGR Design, which will be member-only. Golf memberships, which offer priority access to both courses, are now available. There are also social memberships reserved for residents interested in the Tributer lifestyle beyond golf.
“Our vision is to create a vibrant, enduring community where resort amenities are seamlessly integrated into everyday life,” said Reef CEO Jared Lucero. “This next phase brings together thoughtfully designed residences, elevated amenities, golf, and world-class recreation.”
The existing Cutalong Course at Tributer.
Brian Oar | Tributer While the Cutalong course is inspired by strategic principles of golf’s Golden Age architects (Donald Ross and Alister MacKenzie among them), the forthcoming TGR Design course will showcase the property’s dramatic topography and natural landscape of a property where miners in the 19th and 20th centuries once dug for copper, pyrite and traces of gold. Routed through rolling farmland, mature hardwood forests and pine groves overlooking Lake Anna, the second course will stretch to 7,310 yards from the championship tees and be defined by strategic shot values and a distinct variety of holes with expansive vistas.
“A balanced mix of uphill and downhill holes, shifting perspectives, and natural landforms will ensure no two holes feel alike, creating a course that feels organic in its movement and varied in its demands,” said TGR Design President Bryon Bell, who noted that strategy, creativity and thoughtful decision-making will define the overall experience. True to Tiger’s design principles, it will challenge elite players yet remain playable and engaging for less experienced or less skilled players.
“Lake Anna provides a remarkable setting for championship golf,” added Bell, “and we’re excited to see this design come to life in a way that fully reflects its sense of place.”
The existing Cutalong Course, recently named one of the top new private courses in Virginia, during the fall.
Brian Oar | Tributer Woods and TGR Design have an existing relationship with Reef, having designed the first of two courses at the private club community of Marcella in northern Utah. Cutalong was the first golf property acquired by Reef Capital Partners, evolving –and re-branding — as Tributer, and was the launchpad for an expanding portfolio of golf developments.
Complementing the golf courses at Tributer is an 18-hole, lighted putting course (The Shenandoah Green) that’s designed as part of a social and entertainment venue adjacent to the clubhouse that overlooks the 1st and 18th greens of the existing course. Single-night and multi-night stay-and-play packages are available at the resort, providing a member-type experience within private residences. The putting green next to the clubhouse at the Tributer Resort in Central Virginia.
RON BLUNT STUDIO | Tributer ResortGolf Residences
RICHMOND, Va. (WSET) — Our very own Noreen Turyn was honored at the Virginia Capitol as she prepares to step away from the desk after more than three decades.
The Virginia House of Delegates recognized Turyn in honor of her retirement after 36 years with ABC13. Lawmakers unanimously adopted House Resolution 2072, patroned by Del. Wendell Walker of the 52nd District, recognizing her decades of service to Central Virginia journalism.
Since joining the station in 1990, Turyn has become one of the region’s most trusted news voices, earning a regional Emmy Award and recognition for her investigative reporting.
“Noreen’s legacy in Central Virginia is the confidence that she’s inspired viewers and countless journalists tahts he has mentored along the way,” Walker said.
During the House proceedings, the vote was called and approved: “All those in favor of the motion say aye. All those in denial say naye. The motion is passed. Congrats.”
Walker said Turyn’s impact extends beyond the anchor desk through the viewers she informed and the journalists she mentored throughout her career.
The government has a bridge to sell you.
North Carolina State Auditor Dave Boliek said the taxpayers have been paying for it since 1995 to the tune of about $61 million. To this day, construction has not begun between Aydlett and Corolla. https://www.wavy.com/news/north-carolina/61-million-spent-on-troubled-mid-currituck-bridge-project/
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