Propane tank explosion in minivan hurts woman, rattles homes in Burke

A minivan exploded on a busy road in Burke on Thursday morning, leaving a woman hurt and shaking homes nearby.

Investigators believe a propane tank in the van had a small leak and that when the driver went to light a cigarette, the van burst into flames. The vehicle’s entire roof was blasted off and landed in the middle of the road. The windows were blown out, and the door panels split into pieces.

The woman inside was rushed to the hospital.

Neighbor Julian Hart couldn’t believe his eyes.

“I am in awe that nobody was killed,” he said.

Hart lives across the street, near the intersection of Lee Chapel Road and Old Keane Mill Road. He said the explosion at about 7:30 a.m. sounded like a sonic boom.

“It shook the townhouses. Pictures fell off the wall and stuff broke,” he said.

Fairfax County police say a woman was driving the Chrysler minivan and had a propane tank with an apparent leak she didn’t know about.

Investigators believe that with temperatures in the 30s, the driver probably had the windows rolled up, so a propane leak would have filled the car with gas. When she went to light her cigarette, the car blew.

Neighbor Alan Caramella ran out to see what happened and saw pieces of the minivan all over his yard.

“There was a piece of the door right here. You know, a big piece of the door,” he said, pointing to an area easily 100 feet from the van. Pieces of glass were everywhere too.

The driver was sitting on the curb.

“A woman was comforting her. She was just shaking uncontrollably. She had burns on her arms. You know, it was like red – deep sunburn,” Caramella said.

He said the woman was able to walk to the ambulance when it arrived.

Police said her injuries are not life-threatening and that while the explosion appears accidental, they assigned a major crimes detective to the case.

Hart described the driver as lucky.

“The fact that that the driver lived, she should go play the lottery today. Or she’s hit the lottery already by not being killed. I mean, look at that vehicle,” he said.

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