At least 4 dead, 50 hurt in gas blast near San Francisco

SAN BRUNO, Calif. - Investigators searched the smoldering rubble of a quiet, middle-class neighborhood tucked into the hills overlooking San Francisco on Friday, looking for answers to why a gas line ruptured and fed a giant fireball that killed at least four people.

Firefighters finally contained the fire Friday afternoon, but at least a quarter of the 15 acres of charred homes were still too hot to search. Crews with dogs went house to house and officials said there could be more casualties from the Thursday evening blast.

Homes were left with just chimneys standing and smoke still rose from the burned-out wreckage. "It was pretty devastating," said San Bruno Fire Chief Dennis Haag. "It looks like a moonscape in some areas." Eight investigators were at the scene Friday and police blocked people from approaching the burned area.

"Until we can determine what caused that, we are protecting that like a crime scene," said San Bruno Police Chief Neil Telford. One man was arrested Thursday night on suspicion of looting and assaulting an officer, Telford said.

At least 50 people were hurt in the blast and fire, with eight in critical condition at hospitals. The explosion left a giant crater and sent flames as high as 100 feet tearing through the neighborhood of 1960s-era homes in hills overlooking San Francisco, the bay and the airport. Parked automobiles in the area were reduced to burned-out hulks.

Haag said he didn't know of anyone confirmed missing, though officials were still waiting for all residents to check in. Nearly 40 homes were destroyed and seven significantly damaged. Dozens of other homes suffered less severe damage in the fire.

Christina Veraflor, 41, of Napa, grew up in the neighborhood and said Friday morning that her 67-year-old mother's house was destroyed. Her mother, who had lived in the home for 40 years, was at the movies when the neighborhood erupted in flames.

"I woke up this morning and said, 'I'll go to my mom's and get this and get that.' But there is no mom's anymore," Veraflor said.

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. president Chris Johns said Friday a steel gas pipe ruptured about three feet underground just before 6:30 p.m. Thursday, but crews still haven't been able to determine the cause of the rupture or the ensuing blast because they can't get close enough.

Haag said Friday afternoon they're still not able to access the site of the ruptured gas line because it's covered with water. The damaged section was isolated and gas flow to the area has been stopped.