PG&E Investigating Complaints of Gas Smell in San Bruno
By JESSICA GREENE
Updated 9:59 AM PDT, Fri, Sep 10, 2010
As homes still smoldered in a San Bruno neighborhood after a gas line
ruptured and sparked a massive inferno Thursday, residents in the area said
they had complained about a gas smell for weeks.
People who live in the in the Crestmoore neighborhood told reporters thay
had complained to Pacific Gas and Electric about the smell of gas in the
area and wondered why the utility had apparently not done anything about it.
Tim Guiterrez, who lives in the neighborhood, said he was one of those who
told PG&E about a distinct smell of gas. Guiterrez said a representative
from the utility was in the neighborhood last week and told people to shut
their garage doors and stay inside as they looked into the complaint.
PG&E President Chris Johns said at a news conference Friday morning that
they are looking into reports and will go over their records from the phone
calls about the complaints.
Late Thursday, PG&E said in an e-mailed statement that, "if it is ultimately
determined that we were responsible for the cause of the incident, we will
take accountability."
Dozens of homes caught fire in quick succession at 6:15 p.m. Many residents
said they ran for their lives from a wall of flame and raining asphalt.
By Friday morning state officials said In all, 38 homes were destroyed. That
number is down from the 52 homes listed as destroyed late Thursday night.
Seven more suffered serious damage and dozens more had some damage. The fire
zone spanned 15 acres. Google marked the area burned by the fire at this
link.
The San Mateo County Coroner said late Thursday one person died in the
explosion. "From the reports we have, we have at least one" fatality,
coroner Robert Foucrault said.
By Friday morning, state officials had confirmed that at least four people
were dead. They also said 52 patients were being treated; three of them with
critical burns. Four firefighters were also being treated for smoke
inhalation.
San Bruno Fire Chief Dennis Haag said in a late-night news conference that
it would take fire crews until at least Friday afternoon to do a full search
for more victims.
From: californiadisasters@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:californiadisasters@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of thomas billman
Sent: Friday, September 10, 2010 10:34 AM
To: californiadisasters@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [californiadisasters] NCSN seismic data - San Bruno explosion??
someone would have smelled the gas, something way down the line could
havebeen hit which would make the line shift. There was a picture last nite
of the broken main this this is cracked wide open!!
------------------------------------
Be sure to check out our Links Section at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters/links
Please join our Discussion Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters_discussion/ for topical but extended discussions started here or for less topical but nonetheless relevant messages.Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
californiadisasters-digest@yahoogroups.com
californiadisasters-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
californiadisasters-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
No comments:
Post a Comment