WASHINGTON, Feb 17, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - A house explosion in northern Virginia killed one firefighter and injured at least 11 people on Friday evening, authorities said.

James Williams, assistant chief of the local fire department, described the scene of the blast as "total devastation."

"There's a debris field well into the street and into the neighboring homes," he told a news conference late Friday.

Fire and rescue workers were sent to the home in Sterling, Virginia, around 7:40 pm (0040 GMT Saturday) "for an investigation," according to Williams.

He did not specify what they were investigating but said they were in the home when it exploded soon after their arrival.

Nine firefighters and two civilians were taken to nearby hospitals, Williams said, adding that their injuries ranged from "severe" to "less severe."

Footage broadcast on local television as well as photos and video posted to social media showed the smouldering ruins of the home, with wreckage strewn across much of the yard and into the street.

The cause of the explosion was under investigation.