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An aerial view shows a massive fire caused by a gas pipe explosion in San Bruno - Source: Reuters
A fiery natural gas explosion ripped through a residential
neighbourhood in a San Francisco suburb today, ravaging some 50
homes and killing at least one person, officials said.
As many as 22 people were injured by the blast and flames in San
Bruno, a few kilometres from the San Francisco International
Airport, and were taken to local hospitals and burn treatment
centres.
The local coroner's office reported one fatality.
"We have confirmed 53 structures have been severely damaged, 120
more have fire damage," San Bruno Fire Department Chief Dennis Haag
told a news conference.
Most of the burned buildings were homes in the densely populated
residential area, officials said.
Television footage showed a massive fireball and flames shooting
skywards.
Area residents said they first thought the blast's loud boom was
the result of an earthquake or an airplane crash.
The gas line belongs to the northern California utility Pacific Gas
& Electric, the company said in a statement.
"Though a cause has yet to be determined, we know that a PG&E
gas transmission line was ruptured. If it is ultimately determined
that we were responsible for the cause of the incident, we will
take accountability," the statement said.
The explosion of the high-pressure gas line came at rush hour
around 6 pm local time and flames spread quickly due to high
winds.
Television footage showed a massive fireball and flames shooting skywards.
Area residents said they first thought the blast's loud boom was
the result of an earthquake or an airplane crash.
Water-dropping aircraft assisted 150 to 200 fire fighters on the
ground, whose work was made more difficult by the intense heat and
broken water lines.
"The fire is being contained at this point ... it is around 50%
contained," Haag said.
About 100 people were spending the night at an evacuation centre,
he said.
California Lieutenant Governor Abel Maldonado, serving as acting
governor while Arnold Schwarzenegger is on a trade mission to Asia,
declared a state of emergency to free up state assistance for local
government.
