A firefighter battles a massive fire in a residential neighborhood in San Bruno Calif., Friday that was triggered by a gas line explosion.
The Times quotes San Bruno Fire Captain Charlie Barringer as saying the death toll is expected to increase as firefighters inspect the numerous homes destroyed in the gas line explosion and blaze.
The blast in the town near San Francisco airport also knocked out water pipelines serving fire hydrants, hampering firefighters initial efforts to tackle the inferno, the Times says.
Update at 8:23 a.m. ET: The San Francisco Chronicle says at least 20 people have been injured and reports that the fire destroyed 53 homes and damaged 120 more. The newspaper says the fire raged "unabated" for almot an hour as emergency crews rushed in an residents streamed out.
Earlier posting: Fire Capt. Charlie Barringer said the neighborhood was engulfed by the time firefighters arrived, even though the fire station was only a few blocks away, USA TODAY's William M. Welch reports. He said the blast took out the entire water system, forcing firefighters to pump water from more than 2 miles away.
San Bruno Fire Chief Dennis Haag told KPIX-TV that he believes a high-pressure gas line blew just after 6 p.m., triggering an explosion and fire.
The utility company Pacific Gas and Electric Co. that serves the San Francisco Bay area said one of its gas lines ruptured in the vicinity of the blast, which left a giant crater and sent flames tearing across several
suburban blocks in San Bruno.
"If it is ultimately determined that we were responsible for the cause of the incident, we will take accountability," PG&E said in an e-mailed
statement.
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