A big explosion erupted in a San Francisco Bay Area neighborhood of Hayward, California, after a gas line rupture on Thursday, injuring at least six people, according to local news reports.
The explosion broke out around 9.30am local time, several hours after a construction crew damaged a gas pipe. At least eight fire engines and two fire trucks responded to the three-alarm blaze.
First responders took the half dozen injured to hospital. Their condition was not immediately known, ABC7 News said.
“We were sitting in the house and it just … everything shook. Stuff fell off the walls and when we looked at the camera, it was like you were watching a war video,” resident Brittany Maldonado told the station.
Maldonado provided the outlet with doorbell camera footage that shows how an unassuming street was quickly overwhelmed by a cinematic bang and fiery grey cloud, followed by falling debris.
Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) said they were told that a third-party construction outfit had damaged the underground gas line at about 7.30am local time while working.
The crew was working on Lewelling Boulevard, which has been the site of an ongoing construction project to expand bike lanes and sidewalks, ABC7 News reported.
PG&E said they went to this damaged gas line to thwart the flow of gas, which was let out at multiple points, by 9.25am local time. The explosion erupted 10 minutes later, per ABC7 News.
Firefighters responded to the explosion at 9.38am local time, NBC’s Bay Area affiliate reported. Multiple buildings were aflame.
The explosion and fire extensively damaged three buildings. Another nearby building saw “minor to major damage”, NBC Bay Area said.
