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Some San Bruno residents who were displaced by a massive explosion Thursday evening could see their homes on Saturday, but that is considered best-case scenario, officials said today.
Several victims of the massive explosion, which happened at about 6:15 p.m. Thursday evening at Skyline Boulevard and San Bruno Avenue, have not been able to get past barricades and see if their homes are even standing.
San Bruno City Manager Connie Jackson said at a press conference this evening that displaced residents might see their houses tomorrow, but only in the best of circumstances.
“As a best-case scenario, we may be able to release access to some of the areas by tomorrow at the earliest,” she said.
In addition, Fire Chief Dennis Haag revised an earlier estimation of 38 homes destroyed to 37, with eight sustaining moderate damage. Four fatalities have been reported.
The explosion Thursday night caused flames 80 feet high and led to an outcry of support to help hundreds of affected residents in San Bruno. A high-pressure gas line is believed to have been the cause of the blast.
The American Red Cross reported about 100 people volunteered to aid in relief efforts. About 40 people signed up with Red Cross to help notify others of their whereabouts and conditions as of this afternoon, according to officials.
Crews have finished their preliminary investigation of the site, but no cause of the incident has been identified, said Matthew Bettenhausen, secretary of the California Emergency Management Agency.
Haag said there was no new information revealed during the investigation that would suggest the explosion was linked to a crime.
San Bruno Police Chief Neil Telford said the explosion area will remain a crime scene.
“We have go through that area and make sure there aren’t any items to suggest foul play. Then we can continue on with our recovery efforts and getting people back into their homes,” he said this afternoon.
The California Public Utilities Commission this year found that PG&E managers did not train field service representatives on the use of gas detection equipment and grading leaks outdoors, according to a statement from state Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo.
“The residents of San Bruno deserve to know if PG&E used the correct procedures in the days and weeks leading up to this disaster,” he said.
