Fire Marshal Investigates Explosion in Centreville Apartment

Update, March 4 8:12 a.m.

The cause of the explosion "was determined to be accidental as a result of a small butane cylinder that was in close proximity to the rear burner of an electric stove that was left on," said Renee Stillwell, a public information officer with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. 

Original post:

The Fairfax County fire marshal is investigating a small explosion at Centreville apartment. 

Fairfax County firefighters responded to the explosion at the 14900 block of Rydell Road around 4 p.m. Saturday. No fire was inside, but the explosion blew out the sliding glass door. 

The cause of the explosion is still under investigation, but may be due to a gas grill. No one was injured and no one was home at the time of the explosion. 

"Something caused an explosion and the fire marshal's on the scene to figure it out," Battalion Chief Charles Hawkins said at the scene Saturday. 

Hawkins said that residents of two buildings self-evacuated after the explosion and that no one will be displaced as a result. The power was down in the entire building. Residents were allowed back in their homes afterwards. 

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