It took crews nearly an hour to determine it was a gas pipeline explosion. Emergency responders from San Bruno and nearby cities soon arrived at the scene and evacuated surrounding neighborhoods. Strong winds fanned the flames, hampering fire fighting efforts.
Three of the damaged houses, deemed uninhabitable, were torn down the following December. The fire continued to burn for several hours after the initial explosion. The explosion compromised a water main and required firefighters to truck in water from outside sources. Firefighters were assisted by residents who dragged fire hoses nearly 4, feet 1, m to working hydrants.
Mutual aid responded from all over the Bay Area, including the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection who sent 25 fire engines, four airtankers, two air attack planes, and one helicopter.
As of September 29, , the death toll was eight people. Despite his proximity to the epicenter of the fire, Ruigomez survived but spent nearly five months recovering in the Saint Francis Memorial Hospital Burn Center. Two other people at the Claremont address close to the explosion were among those killed: Jacqueline Greig, 44, and her daughter Janessa Greig, Greig worked for the California Public Utilities Commission CPUC , in a small unit that advocates for consumer rights pertaining to natural gas regulations.
However, Capuchino High School remained open. In response to the disaster and a subsequent decision D. The first phase, scheduled to end in , targeted pipeline segments in urban areas, those not built to modern standards, and those that had not been strength-tested.
