Update, Friday am: At least 58 houses confirmed destroyed. Several deaths. Scroll down for updated info.
Update #2: More videos added. Scroll down.
A MASSIVE EXPLOSION IN SAN BRUNO, CALIFORNIA, HAS SET an entire neighborhood on fire and so far more than 35 homes have been destroyed.
San Francisco Chronicle / Getty Images
San Bruno is the location of the San Francisco International Airport. Fire officials say that the blast that occured just after 6 pm Pacific time (Thursday) was consistent with a natural gas explosion. There is an underground gas main that runs through that area. People in the area say that there was a “massive fireball” that was released with the explosion and the fire appears to be continuously fed by a fuel source such as you get with a pipeline fire.
ABC7News
When the FD arrived on the scene there were already a dozen houses ablaze and the firefighters devoted their efforts to evacuating people who were in the path of the fire that was rapidly jumping from house to house.
AP / Mullen
ABC7News filed this early raw video taken from their helicopter:
The local gas company says that it might be a 16″ or 24″ gas main that blew. Attempts are being made to shut down the supply.
The fire was elevated to six alarms and CalFire sent some planes to start dropping retardant on the fires. The Seton Medical Center hospital in nearby Daly City has been put on triage alert and they have already begun receiving burn patients. Other area hospitals have been receiving victims with minor injuries.
CBS5
As of 11pm Eastern/ 8pm Pacific there was no further verified information. The fire is still active and out of control. One tv helicopter crew said that it appeared that as many as 45 homes may have now been involved, but that is only an estimate. It is way too early to get accurate reports on damage or injury counts, etc. Firegeezer will update when needed.
UPDATE, Friday 8 am Eastern:
As the sunrise reaches San Bruno, authorities have confirmed that there have been at least 58 homes destroyed and 120 more damaged from the fire. The gas line has been shut down, but there are still many fires burning and the FD says that they have a 50% containment at the present time.
One person has been confirmed killed, but a few minutes ago a FD spokesman told the Los Angeles Times that they have located six fatalities so far. Large sections of the fireground have not yet been searched for victims and more are expected to be found.
The San Mateo Daily Journal has up-to-the-minute coverage HERE.
The Santa Cruz Sentinel has a good 55-image photo gallery HERE.
Sentinel
Video clips of evacuees accounts:
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Also on FireGeezer…
- Devastating House Ka-Boom in Allentown – February 10, 2011
- Allentown Rocks…. – January 6, 2012
- Pent-Up Gas Leak Ka-Booms in Philly – January 19, 2011
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