Four Dead After Explosion in SF Suburb

Neighborhood engulfed by fire after gas line blast
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 9, 2010 11:15 PM CDT
Updated Sep 10, 2010 11:17 AM CDT
Six Dead After Explosion in SF Suburb
A massive fire roars through a mostly residential neighborhood in San Bruno, Calif.    (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Four people are dead about 50 injured after a natural gas line explosion engulfed a neighborhood south of San Francisco in fire last night. The fire raged uncontrolled in San Bruno, near San Francisco International Airport, for at least an hour, the Chronicle reports. At least 38 homes were destroyed and dozens more damaged. The cause is unclear.

The explosion sent a fireball 1,000 feet into the air. Residents felt a huge shake and some believed there had been a plane crash or an earthquake. Police began evacuating houses near the blast within minutes as fire crews from across the area joined firefighters from the overwhelmed San Bruno fire department. Four air-tankers, two smaller planes, and 25 fire engines from the California Department of Forestry have been sent to the scene. Pacific Gas and Electric said in an emailed statement that "if it is ultimately determined that we were responsible for the cause of the incident, we will take accountability."
(More San Francisco stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X