Leaking Underground Propane Tank Found at Virginia Home Before Deadly House Explosion

First responders carry an injured person away after an explosion at a home, in Sterling, Va., on Feb. 16, 2024. Nicki Jhabvala/The Washington Post via AP

STERLING, Va.—When firefighters arrived at a home in a Washington 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.