San Bruno pipeline explosion

San Bruno pipeline explosion
Remains of a portion of the natural gas pipeline after the explosion
DateSeptember 9, 2010 (2010-09-09)
Time18:11 UTC-7
LocationSan Bruno, California
United States
Coordinates37°37′21″N 122°26′31″W / 37.62250°N 122.44194°W / 37.62250; -122.44194
Casualties
Fatalities: 8[1][2]
Injured: 58[3]

The San Bruno pipeline explosion occurred at 6:11 pm PDT on September 9, 2010, in San Bruno, California, when a 30-inch (76 cm) diameter steel natural gas pipeline owned by Pacific Gas & Electric exploded into flames in the Crestmoor residential neighborhood 2 miles (3.2 km) west of San Francisco International Airport[4] near Skyline Boulevard and San Bruno Avenue.[5] The loud roar and shaking led some residents of the area, first responders, and news media to initially believe that it was an earthquake or that a large airplane had crashed. It took crews nearly an hour to determine it was a gas pipeline explosion.[6] As of September 29, 2010, the death toll was eight people.[7] The United States Geological Survey registered the explosion and resulting shock wave as a magnitude 1.1 earthquake.[8][9] Eyewitnesses reported the initial blast "shot a fireball more than 1,000 feet (300 m) in the air".[10][11][12][13]

  1. ^ Berton, Justin (September 28, 2010). "Eighth victim of PG&E blast dies". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved September 28, 2010.
  2. ^ Hoeffel, John; Hennessy-Fiske, Molly; Goffard, Christopher (September 12, 2010). "San Bruno explosion death toll climbs to seven; six are missing". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 12, 2010. Retrieved September 10, 2010.
  3. ^ Leff, Lisa; Garrance Burke (September 11, 2010). "San Bruno Explosion: Residents Wait To Move Back To Burned Neighborhood". The Huffington Post. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
  4. ^ "California Crews Battling Massive Fire After Large Explosion". KTXL. Associated Press. September 9, 2010. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  5. ^ Fagan, Kevin (September 9, 2010). "Huge blast in San Bruno; neighborhood on fire". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on September 11, 2010. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  6. ^ "First Calls From San Bruno Disaster". ABC News (September 14, 2010). Retrieved on November 8, 2011.
  7. ^ Melvin, Joshua (October 28, 2010). "Death toll in San Bruno pipeline explosion climbs to eight". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved October 29, 2010.
  8. ^ "Magnitude 1.1 – San Francisco Bay Area, California". United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on September 13, 2010. Retrieved September 11, 2010.
  9. ^ "California-Nevada Fault Map centered at 38°N,122°W". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved September 11, 2010.
  10. ^ Housley, Adam (March 25, 2015). "Feds Begin Probe of Deadly Gas Explosion Near San Francisco". Fox News. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
  11. ^ "California Gas Explosion". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved September 7, 2020. A massive fire roars through a mostly residential neighborhood in San Bruno, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 9, 2010. A massive fire burned homes as it roared through a mostly residential neighborhood in the hills south of San Francisco following a loud explosion Thursday evening that shot a fireball more than 1,000 feet into the air and sent frightened residents fleeing for safety, witnesses said. Gas Blast Engulfs Neighborhood in Flames. CREDIT: AP Photo/Paul Sakuma
  12. ^ "At least 4 killed, 50 injured in CA explosion, fire". ABC7 San Francisco. September 10, 2010. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
  13. ^ "Flames roar through houses after blast". San Bernardino Sun. September 9, 2010. Retrieved September 7, 2020.