A gas explosion leveled a house in the Glenmore neighborhood on August 19, killing one and gravely injuring another person.
“Yesterday, at approximately 6pm units from Albemarle County Fire Rescue responded to multiple reports of an explosion heard at the 2300 block of Ferndown Lane in Keswick,” said Albemarle Fire and Rescue Chief Dan Eggleston at a press briefing on August 20. “First, the units arrived on scene approximately four minutes later to discover one home completely level to the ground.”
Eggleston said debris was blown within a mile radius of the home. Firefighters at Fire Station 2 told him they felt the blast before the emergency calls came in.
Crews found one woman who died in the blast and another man who sustained severe burns. The owners of the house were not home, and the woman was checking in for them.
On Friday, the medical examiner identified the deceased as Justine M. Joscelyne, 76, of Keswick, Virginia. Police also announced that the man was in stable condition.
“She had contacted the adult male who sustained injuries to assist in locating the source of the gas smell,” Eggleston said. “He has since been transferred to VCU’s Burn center for further treatment of his injuries.”
The identities of both are currently being withheld.
A dozen homes nearby sustained property damage due to the blast and have been displaced for the time being. Eggleston said some of the structures may not be repairable. The American Red Cross is assisting those who are temporarily without a home.
The Albemarle Fire Marshal is currently investigating what happened. Part of the investigation involves seeking any video evidence from the site.
“At this time, they’re focusing their efforts on gas, appliances and distribution systems,” Eggleston said. “Our teams were back on site this morning to assess the property damage and work with the affected neighbors directly. This includes conducting structural assessments and conducting debris cleanup for the total affected area.”
Eggleston said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is also involved in the investigation. Crews with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management combed the area with search dogs to check and see if there were any other victims.
As for prevention, Eggleston said anyone who smells gas in a residence should call 911 and leave immediately.
Thanks to the Charlottesville Media Group for providing audio that allowed me to report this story.
Before you go: There was no Charlottesville Community Engagement published on August 20, 2025 so this story will be posted in the August 21, 2025 edition. This was posted here first.
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