Former propane worker charged in Sterling home explosion that killed firefighter
A former propane tank worker has been charged in the February house explosion in Sterling, Virginia, that killed a firefighter and left 11 others injured, the Loudoun County Combined Fire and Rescue System said Tuesday.
A Loudoun County Circuit Court grand jury returned an indictment against Roger Bentley, after reviewing findings Monday from the fire department’s investigation into the explosion at the home on Silver Ridge Drive.
Bentley is charged with involuntary manslaughter, unlawful release of hazardous materials and two other charges related to his alleged handling of propane in connection to the explosion. He’s a former employee of Southern States Cooperative, Inc. — Leesburg-Fairfax Petroleum Service, which said in a statement to WTOP that it’s fully cooperating with investigations into the explosion.
“Based on our own internal inquiry into the incident and an extensive review of our safety protocols and training, particularly as they relate to the handling of propane consistent with the industry’s Energy Compliance Manual, we have made what we believe to be appropriate personnel changes in the region and are moving forward with a renewed commitment toward ensuring that our procedures and training are rigorous and sound,” the Southern States statement said.
A spokesperson for Southern States said the company cannot comment further on the details of the explosion or on personnel matters. One its website, Southern States says it’s one of the top suppliers of propane gas in the country.
Trevor Brown, who’d been a member of the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company since 2016, was killed in the explosion, which happened on Feb. 16. The blast was the result of a leak involving a 500-gallon underground propane tank, according to the county’s fire and rescue system. It’s not clear what ignited the propane.
Eleven other first responders were injured and the explosion caused $2.5 million in damages.