Fire Destroys Neighborhood in San Francisco Suburb
Yesterday evening, a fire ravaged a neighborhood in the San Francisco suburb of San Bruno, California, which neighbors San Francisco International Airport. Details of what triggered the gas line rupture that fueled the blaze are still being investigated, but according to The Bay Citizen, residents claim they had reported a gas leak in the past week. As of now, it is known that four people were killed, 52 people were injured, and three were critically injured with third degree burns. A total of 38 structures burned down, and 7 more were damaged by the blaze.
While the area of devastation is so close by, less than 8 miles away, that I would have imagined I would have heard the loud explosion, the many fire engines, or smelled a tinge of smoke in the air, I had no idea until several hours later. I learned of this very local event from The New York Times online last night, and realized I had driven near the site just 30 minutes before it happened. I was on my way to pick up my children from school after 12 hours at work, and my mind was filled with the usual thoughts of how tired I was, my hopes that the kids would not squabble on the car ride home, and what I was going to make for dinner.
The photos of the towering flames and of the aftermath this morning are chilling. As with all sudden tragedies, we won't know for days the true number of casualties. A few minutes before I started to write this post, I heard the sirens of fire engines outside my door, and for an illogical moment thought that perhaps the winds had brought the flames closer to my doorstep.
According to The Bay Citizen,
"Residents who witnessed the explosion described a roaring sound like that of a jet engine, followed by a thud so enormous it felt 'like an earthquake.' Don Ford, a photo journalist with CBS 5, visited the epicenter of the blast after much of the fire had subsided late Thursday night and said the explosion left a crater 15 feet deep and with a radius of 40 to 50 feet. Ford said the fire literally liquefied the street, leaving nothing but dirt, and left homes, trees, sidewalks and everything else that had been standing in ashes."
The report by The New York Times quoted Joanne Hayes-White, the chief of the San Francisco fire department:
“This happened during the dinner hours,” she said. “There were probably a lot of people sitting at home having dinner at the time.”
I found her statement particularly chilling, as it brings to mind vivid images of families and children, settling back into their homes after long days at work, having no idea that in seconds, life as they knew it would end.
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Neighborhood in California Is Set Ablaze by Explosion, The New York Times/The Bay Citizen
Huge Explosion in San Bruno , The Bay Citizen
Photo credits:
1) Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
2) Peter Dasilva/European Pressphoto Agency
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Kim Gamble
kmbearden
Spectrum Voice
Susie Lindau
Lauren B. Davis
racheld
Salon.com
Comments
It's weird how you can be surrounded by so much media, but cut off from major tragedies that are happening a ten-minute drive away.
Rated.
Hug your babies, heck, hug ANYBODY.
Glad you're safe Linda, hopefully the injured count doesn't go up anymore.
Linda this was so touching and I commend you for such a great post. Thank you,
N. Jordan
There is a fire station about a block away from the fire, but it was too hot at the fire for them to get close, they could only help evacuate residents.
We also live about 8 miles away, in Burlingame, and heard all the sirens, saw the smoke. Twitter and local news outlets on facebook posted constant updates of what was happening, and speculation, too.
Those who survived grabbed their kids and ran for their lives.
It was an accident - the explosion, but the smell of leaking gas had been reported for about a week, according to residents.
~fatRocco and stillferalRusty
rated.
I still live nearby, and have many family members and friends there. The picture in your post? I have a relative on that very street, mere houses away. This all breaks my heart, especially as news of the deaths come in... If anyone sees this post, I hope they will consider donating to this special town. So very, very tragic...
r
I can't help wondering if this could have been prevented.
Rated for sensitive coverage