For S.F. Bay Area DUers... 'Huge Explosion On San Bruno Hillside'

[WillyT]

Huge Explosion On San Bruno Hillside
SAN BRUNO (CBS 5 / AP)
Sep 9, 2010 7:09 pm US/Pacific

<snip>



A massive fire is roaring through a mostly residential neighborhood in San Bruno.

Firefighters from San Bruno and surrounding cities are battling the blaze that started on a hillside and is now consuming homes in a residential neighborhood.

Images from Chopper 5 show at least a dozen homes destroyed, with flames reaching now as high as 50 to 60 feet into the air.

A South San Francisco fire official confirmed earlier that firefighters were responding to a fire, but had no other details.

Witnesses say a loud explosion was felt just before the flames erupted around 6 p.m. Thursday.

The area where the fire is burning in a mostly residential area a few miles from San Francisco International Airport, but the Federal Aviation Administration and a spokesman for the airport say they have no record of a plane crash.

<snip>

Link: http://cbs5.com/breakingnewsalerts/san.bruno.explosion.2.1905322.html

This thing is so hot, police and fire are staying several blocks away from the engulfed area. House after house is going up in flames.

[malaise]

1. Please stay safe

S.F. Bay Area DUers :grouphug:

[lonestarnot]

2. Damn. That's terrible. First Detroit, now this.

[flyarm]

3. anybody heard from EFerrari ??? Please stay safe out there!! Beth please be safe! eom

[malaise]

5. I hope she's OK

Damn!

[EFerrari]

50. I'm 50 miles south and fine. TG.

Thanks for asking, fly! :pals:

[LostinVA]

77. Good -- I thought you were closer and was worried about you last night

I have several friends out there, too, and didn't hear from one until about 4 am EDT. I was very worried.

[EFerrari]

81. I'm in the south bay for now helping out at my mom's place

and may be here for the duration.

I used to drive that route every day. One of my uncles is out there. I hope all your people have checked in. :(

[flyarm]

78. Ohhh TG relieved to hear you are not there in that area!! What a tragedy!

How sad and horrible.
Very glad to hear you are not in that area!!
I was worried!!

:hi: :pals:

fly

My heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to all in that area..

[EFerrari]

82. I wonder how many of those poor people

are current on their insurance -- and even if they are, how badly they will be screwed on top of everything else. This is horrible, fly.

[Matariki]

4. Anyone know what part of town that's in?

[Hannah Bell]

8. in a residential neighborhood near highways 280 and 380 per this:

http://www.baycitizen.org/disasters/story/huge-explosion-residential-san-bruno/

[WillyT]

9. Here:

Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=san+bruno+ca&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

[Nictuku]

10. It is by Daily City and South San Francisco

I used to live pretty close by. I'm watching it on local news, it is a gigantic fire. I'm hearing that they think it might have been caused by a gas main. There was a big explosion. It looks like there are a lot of homes on fire.

[WillyT]

6. They're Saying It May Have Been A Natural Gas Line That Exploded

<snip>

SAN BRUNO, Calif. — A massive fire possibly caused by a ruptured gas line roared through a mostly residential neighborhood in the San Francisco suburb of San Bruno.

A white and black plume of smoke was visible for miles, reported the San Francisco Chronicle.

Some homes were completely gone done to the studs, said NBC Bay Area. Cars parked on the street were also destroyed.

Firefighters from San Bruno and surrounding cities battled the blaze that started on a hillside.

Television live shots show at least a dozen homes destroyed, with flames reaching as high as 50 to 60 feet into the air.

Witnesses say a loud explosion was felt just before the flames erupted around 6 p.m. Thursday. Some thought it was a plane crash, but the FAA told NBC that no planes were missing.

The fire is burning in a mostly residential area a few miles from San Francisco International Airport.

There is a high-pressure gas line in the area, KGO-TV said. It is unknown if this is related to the fire.

Some homes burned as flames were too hot for firefighters to pass, KGO said.

<snip>

Link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39089768/ns/us_news/

From the live shots I've seen here in the Sac Area, that bright yellow flame in the middle of it all seems like a huge flame-thrower raging away. Natural gas line makes sense.

:shrug:

[Hannah Bell]

7. more

KGO Radio's Gary Hansen reports that flames are shooting up dozens of feet into the air, with a plume of smoke extending much higher. Houses in the blocks nearby are bursting into flames and being completely destroyed. Hansen says a gas main emerging from the ground appears to be feeding the flames.

Initially, some observers speculated that a gas station may have blown up, but it soon became clear that there is no gas station in the area. According to KGO, the Federal Aviation Administration has not reported any aircraft missing. San Francisco International Airport said none of their planes are missing, and no planes that are scheduled to land are missing.

http://www.baycitizen.org/disasters/story/huge-explosion-residential-san-bruno/

[malaise]

75. I'm watching on BBC

Unbelievable - one person died and fifty homes were destroyed.

Several persons were badly burned. This is too sad.

[Starry Messenger]

11. Live coverage here

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/livenow?id=7659504

This is huge. I didn't hear it down here where I am (about 15 minutes away), my partner woke me up from a nap and told me what was going on. He drove up there to get some photos, he does local journalism for a student newspaper.

[spanone]

13. they just reported it was a 24 inch gas main...geeez

[lonestarnot]

18. Fucking A. It's burning hell to be robbed of infrastructure.

[WillyT]

14. HOLY CRAP !!! - Reminiscent Of The Oakland Hills Fire in 1991 !!!

I hope it doesn't get that bad.

:scared:

[Starry Messenger]

17. This is a really windy area.

I'm reading about 30 homes engulfed already. :( Third degree burn victims taken to hospital.

[Hannah Bell]

24. If you're only 15 minutes away, are you in any danger?

[Starry Messenger]

25. No. Thanks Hannah, all safe here.

That's 15 minutes by freeway. It looks like it's contained for now to the neighborhood where the main exploded. 45 homes now they are saying. I'm just watching it on the news. :(

[Hannah Bell]

29. good to hear. glad you're safe & it's contained.

[Parker CA]

12. I'm about two miles away and the air is very heavy with toxic smoke.

Crazy.

[WillyT]

15. Stay Safe Please !!!

:grouphug:

[Parker CA]

27. Thank you. We're far enough away that the only issue is a horribly noxious smoke, so all the

windows are closed.

[nadinbrzezinski]

38. Just be ready to get the hell out on a seconds notice

and stay indoors, if you need to go out... use a wet towel.

[jgraz]

16. Google maps: where the reported center of the fire is

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Vermont+Way,+San+Bruno,+CA&sll=37.618338,-122.441952&sspn=0.014362,0.017788&gl=us&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Vermont+Way,+San+Bruno,+San+Mateo,+California+94066&z=17

[REP]

19. It's pretty bad; local news says gas explosion

[jgraz]

20. A 2-foot gas main -- yikes.

One of our friends is rushing home to evacuate her birds.

[Parker CA]

21. Delete.

[Control-Z]

22. Stay safe, bay area DUers. n/t

[proud patriot]

23. eek

[EFerrari]

52. I hope Creekdog checks in.

:(

[XemaSab]

56. Creekdog is safe

But it's near his house.

[EFerrari]

70. That's a huge fire. My uncle lives a couple miles away.

Those poor people.

[nadinbrzezinski]

26. Link to LBN thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4534868&mesg_id=4534868

[WillyT]

30. Thank You !!!

When they broke away from the game, they showed it on the local news (Sacramento).

I was in GD and just posted away.

Didn't think to check LBN.

Ah well...

:hi:

[nadinbrzezinski]

31. That is fine

I will have all kinds of fun sleeping tonight... serious.

My first MAJOR call was this





Mexico, 1984

But here I am watching the online feed.

This will take 48 hours to be brought under control. They DO NOT have the amount of specialized equipment they need on site. And a lot of it is rolling, but it NEEDS to get there.

[WillyT]

34. Wow...

So you've been to hell before.

That's gotta take some major courage.

Thank you.

:hi:

BTW - PG&E spokesman refused to confirm on-air (ABC 7) that it was THEIR gas line, or A gas line at all.

Must have learned a few things watching the moves of BP.

:shrug:

[nadinbrzezinski]

35. Legal got on their ass fast

right now they are talking of 20-25 homes leveled.

[another saigon]

79. at half a million+ a house

damn, no wonder the cover up has already begun.

[XemaSab]

57. It looks like they've got a cordon

around the houses that are on fire, trying to keep it from spreading.

In the middle of every burning home is a flaming gas jet. :(

[nadinbrzezinski]

28. Ah and CNN found it's way to the real story

breaking nooz and all...

Main Line break, I just hope we do not have a cascade failure.

[nadinbrzezinski]

32. No, worst case, you do not have enough burn beds for this

I will not be too shocked if at least one, if not two DMAT teams are mobilized....

I hate to know what I am seeing.

[MissB]

36. DMAT?

Can you explain?

[nadinbrzezinski]

37. Disaster Medical Assistance Team

http://www.dmat.org/

And yesterday I was actually talking with the Logistics officer for the one based here in San Diego.

IIRC the Bay Area is HQ for one of the California teams. I will not be shocked if either LA or San Diego is mobilized though.

[MissB]

42. Thanks.

I was figuring a first responder team, just couldn't work the acronym.

[nadinbrzezinski]

44. You welcome

I hate what I am seeing... been at a disaster of this type... and this is worst than a lot of people can fathom.

They are telling us on the feed about how the firefighters could not do a damn thing. No, they can't. They need specialized foam... the airport has a few of those units. But they need to bring them from all across the state, probably beyond. They also need to close the main... but the valves are probably damaged by the shock wave.

This is going to be a long day and this is not wilderness fire... it is a different animal.

[MissB]

45. I was curious, so I read about the Mexico incident.

500 people. Holy crap. You must have nightmares beyond belief.

[nadinbrzezinski]

46. Try higher

500 is the official number. We all know it's higher. Whole families disappeared... and I only get nightmares when things like this happen.

There is a reason why the usual jokes that go with this, I am not posting, but hell they are running though my mind. They are sick, but they help EMS to deal with it.

[XemaSab]

59. A reporter at the center of the blast

said there's a piece of pipe half a block away that's 20 feet long and twisted like a pretzel. It might be the water main, though. :o

CDF is helping fight the fire.

[REP]

51. 35 or so burn victims known as of now

They're at Kaiser, SFGen, other local hospitals. This is a high-tech area.

[nadinbrzezinski]

53. But San Francis is the specialized burn center

they have beds.... but serious and critical patients will not stay at Kaiser... they will be sent to St Francis.

[blondeatlast]

33. Stay safe, Bay Area friends.

:hug:

[REP]

39. San Mateo county coroner now on scene

[nadinbrzezinski]

41. I am willing to bet a mortuary unit is following

this is not going to be a low casualty incident.

[REP]

48. 1 confirmed death

[REP]

40. Blood Centers of the Pacific need blood donors, esp Type O-, tomorrow am

[nadinbrzezinski]

43. The average burn patient can go through 10 units in 12 hours

early on.

That to give an idea.

Skin is not there, so plasma literally oozes out. Reason I am getting so graphic, so people understand why they need the blood right now, and they will need it for the next two weeks at critical levels.

[REP]

49. Where to donate: 1 800 393 GIVE

http://www.bloodcenters.org/blood-donation/donation-locations/

[Hekate]

Shudder. How horrible. I hope they can get a handle on it tonight. DUers, stay safe!

[Hekate]

47. Shudder. How horrible. I hope they can get a handle on it tonight. DUers, stay safe!

[nadinbrzezinski]

54. Disaster alerts cancelled at a few hospitals

lower casualties than I expected. THAT IS GOOD NEWS.

[nadinbrzezinski]

55. Emergency Declaration has been signed

[nadinbrzezinski]

58. The remnants of the main

reporter is saying that the thing peeled off like a banana. Translation, that is structural failure. No wonder PG&E is not saying a damn thing.

[REP]

62. PGE Pres and CEO en route to site

[nadinbrzezinski]

64. And according to Newsjock

they just released to the press that it is one of their mains.

They just bought a neighborhood.

[REP]

66. Not according to local in touch with PGE

I'm 15 miles from it

[REP]

67. PGE - "Still investigating"

[nadinbrzezinski]

68. You take care

And they ARE taking responsibility, life NOW on your ABC station.

[REP]

60. 53 homes destroyed, 120 damaged

[nadinbrzezinski]

61. So far lives wise

my worst fears are not getting realized... GOOD.

But I am sure PAcific Gas and Electric is going to have an expensive bill.

[REP]

63. 1 dead

[nadinbrzezinski]

65. I was expecting at least 30

but until they go through homes looking for remains, we will not truly know.

I was expecting over 100 injured.

[nadinbrzezinski]

69. AP 53 homes burned

[AsahinaKimi]

71. KRON will be reporting at 4am west coast time..

I will probably be up watching it, however, when the sun rises we will have a better view of all the damage.


http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/livenow?id=6498350 for Live broadcast at 4am.

[opihimoimoi]

72. Prolly a meth lab gone awry

[AsahinaKimi]

73. More live coverage of San Bruno fire on KRON

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/livenow?id=6498350

[pinboy3niner]

74. Thanks. It led on MSNBC's Morning Joe today. nt

[AsahinaKimi]

76. The Lt. Governor will be talking

This morning, and there are some new updates being presented on KGO>
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/livenow?id=6498350

[begin_within]

80. They're now saying 6 dead

Fire captain quoted by LA Times as saying six dead, others in critical condition, 24-inch gas main ruptured, explosion also knocked out water main, leaving no local water supply to fight fire. Hundreds homeless.

[Ignis]

83. Stay safe, Bay Area DUers.

:hi:

I'm just glad I didn't have to head into the City for a meeting today. That would have been traffic hell.