Organization pays off mortgage of fallen volunteer firefighter who died in Sterling house explosion

STERLING, Va. — Nine months after a volunteer firefighter died in a catastrophic house explosion in Sterling, an organization has paid off his family’s mortgage.

Trevor Brown, a firefighter with the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company, was killed Feb. 16 when a gas leak he was investigating caused the house to blow up. Ten other firefighters and two civilians were injured in the explosion.

Before volunteering as a firefighter, Brown enlisted in the Marines. For Veteran’s Day, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation paid off the remainder of the mortgage of Brown’s house, where his wife and three children live.

“I am so grateful for the assistance,” Brown’s wife said in a press release. “This is a huge burden off us that will allow us to focus on grieving, counseling, and picking ourselves up.”

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation was founded in remembrance of firefighter Stephen Siller, who died in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Now, the organization says its Fallen First Responder Home Program is dedicated to paying off mortgages for families of law enforcement officers and firefighters who are killed in the line of duty or pass away from 9/11-related illnesses, and leave behind young children.

“Firefighter Trevor Brown is a hero who committed his life to service first as a Marine and then as a Firefighter. Tunnel to Towers is honored to support the family he left behind and ensure they can focus on grieving this tremendous loss, without having to worry about making another mortgage payment,” said Frank Siller, chairman and CEO of Tunnel to Towers, in a press release.

Less than a month ago, involuntary manslaughter and other charges were brought against a former employee of Southern States Cooperative, Inc., Roger Bentley, who told an employee filling a massive underground propane tank to "let it seep on the ground, and be on their merry way." The tank leaked uncontained gas into and around the house, causing the explosion just four hours later when it was ignited by an unknown source.