Northern Virginia Incidents

freqhopping · #1 (**permalink**) 08-26-2006, 07:06 PM

Some sort of barricade situation in Leesburg. Ops on TG 2512. I still haven't figured out the exact location.

1847-There are hostages.
1920- One hostage has been rescued.
1929- Hostage taker is armed with a handgun and is known to have at least one long gun with a scope. There are another three hostages.

1936- So now they say so. It's a training exercise. Sounded real enough.
__________________________________________________ ________

Water rescue on the Potomac. Ops are on Prince William 5D and Fairfax-1 is onscene. They are now reporting all accounted for.

Towpro · #2 (**permalink**) 08-30-2006, 09:18 PM

Ok, we got this new shiney forum, where's all the action....seems to be quiet in here.

I guess in a way it's a good thing that there's not alot going on

We have been a lil slow @ the tow lot as well, but school will be open next week, all them buses on the road....can't wait....LOL

mike_s104 · #3 (**permalink**) 08-30-2006, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Towpro

Ok, we got this new shiney forum, where's all the action....seems to be quiet in here.

I guess in a way it's a good thing that there's not alot going on

We have been a lil slow @ the tow lot as well, but school will be open next week, all them buses on the road....can't wait....LOL

make sure to update your info for Loudoun County Schools bus system with the info I submitted to the database. :-)

Towpro · #4 (**permalink**) 08-30-2006, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike_s104

make sure to update your info for Loudoun County Schools bus system with the info I submitted to the database. :-)

OK Mike, thank you sir.

freqhopping · #5 (**permalink**) 09-02-2006, 02:50 PM

Something really odd is happening in eastern Loudoun right now. There have been a whole lot of inside gas leaks in homes and businesses over the last hour or so. More reports seem to be coming in.

All the Co 11 and 18 units are busy. Co 6 and 1 as well as Dulles units are responding also.

1451- Fairfax Co units have just been dispatched to an address in Sugarland.

Some sort of overpressurization problem.

BBQ Galore and the Sterling Town Center shopping center, Target in Potomac Run Plaza and a few homes in Cascades are some of the affected locations.

1531- Another residential report has come in.

1548- Fairfax Co is getting lots of inside gas leaks too.

1550- Another one in Sterling on N. Amelia.
1600- And now on Winchester Drive.

adamleff · #6 (**permalink**) 09-02-2006, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Something really odd is happening in eastern Loudoun right now. There have been a whole lot of inside gas leaks in homes and businesses over the last hour or so. More reports seem to be coming in.

They've set up a command post at 46440 Benedict Dr in Sterling. Operations are on 6C, with command and planning on 6D.

I just came back from Tysons and Fairfax had the same type of thing happening in the Vienna area -- multiple simultaneous inside gas leak calls with no known cause.

This is got to be one strangest things I've heard in a long time.

mike_s104 · #7 (**permalink**) 09-02-2006, 06:41 PM

I just heard Jefferson Co. WV dispatch fire for a gas leak investigation. not sure if it's related or not since Jefferson Co. is to the north west of Loudoun.

JESSERABBIT · #8 (**permalink**) 09-02-2006, 06:58 PM

Any idea which area of Jefferson County that the gas problem is located?

mike_s104 · #9 (**permalink**) 09-02-2006, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JESSERABBIT

Any idea which area of Jefferson County that the gas problem is located?

not sure. I didn't catch the address and if I did I probably wouldn't know where it was without looking. I have not heard anything else about it so far.

ScanManQSL · #10 (**permalink**) 09-02-2006, 08:02 PM

With in the last 25 minutes LoudounCo just dispatch 4x more gas leak calls!

Im taking a wild guess... from all that rain we had, the ground is saturated and has settled causing the gas leaks. But this doesn't explain why there are a lot of calls for the inside gas leaks? I dont know what to say, Im going to pay attention to see if its a general location or all of LoudonCo.

rbenn · #11 (**permalink**) 09-02-2006, 08:30 PM

Sounds like Loudoun is in the process of going house to house and doing some proactive monitoring at this point. They are checking all appliances in the homes and red-tagging meters as they find leaks. I just heard someone say they were having some troubles with their detection meter due to over-use.

Has anyone been listening to WTOP? Wonder if they are reporting anything about this?

Very bizarre incident.

21:08 - Now hearing rescue calls for 'difficulty breathing' and 'illnes due to gas leak.'

21:13 - WTOP now reporting on the incident. They had a spokesperson from the gas company claim that they believed the issue is being caused by 'too much odorant' added to the gas. Seems kinda bogus to me since there'd have to be a leak somewhere to smell anything, regardless of how much odorant was added.

21:36 - The calls seem to be in 2 areas right now - Cascades area and in an apartment complex at Lansdowne.

21:43 - Loudoun establishing a second command post at Camden at Lansdowne apartments on 6E. First one is still operating at 46440 Bennedict Drive.

22:07 - WTOP reporting on incident. LCFR spokesperson said that Washington Gas has 13 technicians on site along with some supervisors trying to isolate the issue. Still repeating the nonsense about too much odorant.

22:14 - Latest call at 20871 Paw Paw Court, Ashburn.

22:45 - Operations reduced to single command. Bennedict Drive, 6C.

23:07 - WTOP reporting on incident. LCFR Deputy Fire chief stated that no one has been evacuated due to the incident, but many homes and businesses have had gas shut off.

23:33 - LCFR Sterling command operations moved from 6C to 6I. Ashburn division operations on 6K.

23:48 - No longer dispatching calls with tones at this point. Seems they are going house to house at this point and also responding to calls for service from home owners, being relayed via the respective commands. Still finding leaks and turning off service at the meters. Gonna be a long night for those guys.

23:58 - Latest calls for service on Chatham Way & Cornstalk Terrace, both in Ashburn.

00:03 - Apparatus heard on scene: Rescue Engine 6, Reserve Engine 6, Rescue Engine 9, Engine 10, Engine 16. (may be others)

00:07 - WTOP continues to lead with this story after national news at the top of the hour. They have a soundbyte from LCFR Deputy Chief Scott Colors (?) and another soundbyte from a Washington Gas spokesperson sticking with the 'too much odorant' quote.

ScanManQSL · #12 (**permalink**) 09-02-2006, 09:10 PM

We could always call WTOP News Tips @ 1-866-WTOP-TIP or send them a email @ WTOPnews.com.

How many do you think Loudon has dispatched already? I can count 10 calls for gas leaks already and still growing!

mike_s104 · #13 (**permalink**) 09-02-2006, 09:40 PM

checked WTOP's site and nothing yet. what gas company is in that area?

freqhopping · #14 (**permalink**) 09-02-2006, 09:44 PM

Fairfax is still working gas leaks too. No news on the websites of the local channels and nothing on the Washington Gas site either. Maybe Fox 5 will have something at 10pm.

mike_s104 · #15 (**permalink**) 09-02-2006, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freqhopping

Fairfax is still working gas leaks too. No news on the websites of the local channels and nothing on the Washington Gas site either. Maybe Fox 5 will have something at 10pm.

didn't Washington Gas have problems last year in DC with a lot of leaks?

the Channel 5 news at 10 mentioned nothing of this. I've been checking wtopnews.com and www.washgas.com but have yet to see anything.

rbenn · #16 (**permalink**) 09-02-2006, 09:57 PM

I called WTOP and talked to the person at their news desk at about 9PM. They had just spoken to the gas company spokesperson who made the claim about too much odorant. At about 9:10, they had a small piece on it with the genius from the gas company offering the quote about the odorant. When I told them the resources that are tied up on this, they didn't realize how involved it was.

Note that I am editing my post below with updates as I am listening, instead of clogging up the forum with a bunch of replies.

freqhopping · #17 (**permalink**) 09-03-2006, 09:02 AM

Now there are inside gas leaks being reported in the Leesburg area. Sycamore Hills neighborhood- Box 1-9 and the River Creek neighborhood- Box 1-13.

0915- Now they are working to setup a Leesburg division.
0927- Command will be at Station 20 and using 6L. Some sort of command function is on 6H and they stated they were getting backed up and needed some more units dispatched for the Sterling area.

0934- Primary command is still on 6I, Leesburg ops will be on 6L. Tanker 1 and Squad 13 have been assigned to Leesburg ops.

rbenn · #18 (**permalink**) 09-03-2006, 09:43 AM

WTOP has an item about the gas leaks on their web site:
http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=600&sid=901018

If Washington Gas is actually correct with their notion of too much odorant in the gas and if that is the only thing that is different, then that must mean there are always small natural gas leaks present that no one smells with the normal level of odorant. Seems kind of hard to believe for me.

Also, if it's just a matter of the odorant, why would they have 13 technicians on site and have their own command post established?

cpunut · #19 (**permalink**) 09-03-2006, 10:16 AM

I have been monitoring since Saturday at 3PM. I smelled some gas in my house (Sterling area) at around 1PM and just opened windows and such. I also have a "gasponder" and could take my own measurements (was at or below 1ppm which is the resolution of the instrument). I was thinking same as someone above that the rain may of affected things.

Sunday AM the calls are coming from the Leesburg area, so there has been a progression from the Sterling area W to Ashburn, and now W to Leesburg. As crazy as the official explanation seems, maybe this makes sense with the E->W progression (and fewer calls to the E now).

rbenn · #20 (**permalink**) 09-03-2006, 10:44 AM

1043 - Moving Sterling resources to Ashburn & Lessburg areas. All responses are limited to single engine and not a full response (normally 3, as I've heard under normal circumstances).

1110 - Large number of calls on Summerhouse Place in Ashburn. LCFR does not have resources to respond, so Washington Gas sending over some techs to assist Engine 12.

1255 - Ashburn division reporting they are averaging 4 - 6 unanswered calls in their area due to insufficient resources. Working with Fairfax to get additional support.

1257 - Fairfax sending Engines 436 & 439 to assist.

1600 - convening a conference call to discuss all that has happened thus far and make plans for the night ahead.

2000 - Seems that command posts have been disbanded and gas leak calls are being toned out and dispatched as normal. Still seems to be a continuous stream of calls, just not at the volumes earlier.