San Francisco Bay Area Gas Explosion: Home Destroyed, Six Injured in Ashland After Construction Crew Damages Line

Devastating Gas Explosion Rocks San Francisco Bay Area: Home Destroyed, Six Injured in Ashland

The unincorporated community of Ashland, near Hayward in the San Francisco Bay Area, experienced a dramatic gas explosion on Thursday, leaving a trail of destruction and injuries. The powerful blast, caused by a construction crew damaging an underground gas line, ignited a massive fire that destroyed at least one home and severely impacted the surrounding area.

Immediate Impact and Emergency Response

The explosion's force was immense, blowing out windows and causing nearby residences to shake. Six individuals required hospitalization; three suffered serious injuries needing immediate treatment, while three others sustained more minor conditions. Alameda County Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Nishimoto confirmed that three structures on two separate lots were severely damaged.

Emergency responders faced perilous conditions. Of the 75 firefighters on scene, some were forced to momentarily withdraw after experiencing electric shocks from fallen power lines, highlighting the chaotic and dangerous environment.

Eyewitness Accounts and Dramatic Footage

Eyewitnesses described a scene akin to a war zone. Brittany Maldonado, a resident living across the street, shared her harrowing account and provided Nest doorbell camera footage to ABC7 News. "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," Maldonado stated. The compelling video footage captured a large building engulfed in intense flames and debris scattered across a wide area.

Investigation Underway into the Cause

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has dispatched a team to investigate the incident thoroughly. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (PG&E) was alerted at 7:35 a.m. that a construction crew, unrelated to the utility, had damaged an underground gas line. Utility crews promptly arrived to isolate the compromised line, but reports indicated gas was leaking from multiple locations.

Workers successfully ceased the flow of gas at 9:25 a.m. However, the explosion tragically occurred approximately ten minutes after the line was shut off. PG&E spokesperson Tamar Sarkissian explained that isolating the damaged line and stopping the gas flow was a complex process that took considerable time.

Geographic Context

The incident took place in Ashland, situated near the city of Hayward in the East Bay, roughly 15 miles south of Oakland. Hayward is a significant urban center with a population of about 160,000 residents.

Upon police arrival, sirens blared as flames continued to spread at the site of the collapsed building. Footage showed workers lifting a substantial piece of debris near an excavator, which had been operating in front of the home just moments before the devastating blast.