SAN BRUNO, Calif. — A massive explosion believed to have been sparked by a gas-line break produced an inferno that consumed a San Bruno neighborhood Thursday night, killing at least one person, leveling homes, forcing residents to run for their lives and leaving about 23 people injured, a number of them with severe burns. A California emergency official said 53 homes had been destroyed and 120 damaged.
The blast, which occurred shortly after 6 p.m., ignited a wind-driven fire that quickly destroyed dozens of homes, set treetops on fire and lit the sky for miles around. Hours after the blast, fire crews from throughout the state continued to rush to the scene, but their efforts were hindered by winds that reportedly reached more than 20 mph.
“My house is gone. I’m trying to keep from just breaking down. Everything’s gone,” said Tina Pellegrini.
Some witnesses in the residential area, which is not far from San Francisco International Airport, said that the explosion sounded like a plane crash and that it rocked homes and windows. But authorities soon ruled out that possibility.
Although Pacific Gas and Electric crews on scene told TV news reporters that a gas-line rupture sparked the explosion, company spokesmen cautioned that they were still investigating.
