Utilities are injured, a house is damaged and cars are destroyed after a gas explosion and fire on Wednesday in North Virginia, officials said.
Three workers were taken to a hospital with burns and injuries that were not considered fatal, the Fairfax County fire department said.
Aerial footage of Chopper4 shows tall orange flames leaping through the air and teams working for hours to keep the flames under control.
Pastor Don Jamison heard the explosion outside a window in his home.
“I heard the explosion and went to the window and saw that the fire was rising and, in a matter of seconds, several explosions from the fuel tanks and equipment exploded,” he said.
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Washington Gas workers were making scheduled repairs when the explosion occurred without warning at block 8100 on Hooes Road in the Springfield area, the fire department said. The explosion shook the neighborhood and an emergency call was made at around 12:30 pm.
Workers were taken to hospitals, residents were evacuated from their homes and teams spent hours trying to turn off the gas and prevent flames from reaching the homes.
Jamison opened his nearby church, Sydenstricker United Methodist Church, to any neighbor who needed a place to keep warm.
Drivers were asked to avoid the area.
Finally, the fire was extinguished and the gas was turned off before 4pm.
An investigation into the cause of the explosion is underway.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.