A week after a massive explosion left one Loudoun County firefighter dead and others injured, one remains hospitalized.
Trevor Brown, a volunteer firefighter with Sterling Volunteer Fire Company, was killed when a 500-gallon underground tank exploded.
Ten fellow firefighters were injured including some who were buried under debris in the basement. Three of the most seriously hurt have been released while one remains in the burn unit at Washington Hospital Center, NBC4 reported.
Firefighters, civilians and medical staff have lined hospital hallways and applauded as their colleagues are wheeled out.
“He was a really dependable guy. In any organization, you’ve got the rank-and-file, that solid guy in the middle that is really rowing the boat really hard that you depend on,” Sterling Fire Chief David Short told the Times-Mirror. “When you hear, ‘Oh, Trevor's on the project,’ you go, ‘Okay, it's done.’”
The chief added: “While the loss of any firefighter is significant and overwhelming, the loss of Trevor Brown will be a major impact to our organization."
Funeral services are planned for 11 a.m. March 4 at Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg.
In addition to being a dedicated volunteer, Brown also was devoted to his family especially his children.
When he heard about the incident, the president of the D.C. Firefighters Burn Foundation headed to the hospital so he would be there when they arrived.
"It truly is a brother and sisterhood," Jason Woods said.
His organization focuses on the firefighters' families helping them with meals, hotels and other expenses.
“Once they leave the hospital, these scars and the traumatic effects, the psychological effects of these injuries, can stay with them for years. The impact of these injuries. They can last months. They can last years. They can last a lifetime.”
The cause of the blast remains under investigation by a number of local, state and federal agencies.
