Holy Cow!
I went to the store this afternoon at 1pm to pick up the Christmas Turkey, and as I'm driving down Folsom Blvd. to get on the freeway to return home (at about 1:40)...a home blew up between where I was and where I was headed on Zinfandel Dr (freeway entrance).
Holy Cow!
Everyone driving hit their brakes and stopped. I thought a plane had crashed (we're right next to Mather Commercial Airport, the old Mather AFB), but I'm home now, and they're saying it was a natural gas explosion in a home.
Good gravy!
Even with the car heater on full blast, and the radio on, I could hear the explosion and I could feel my car rocking from the blast.
The homes on either side of the home that was literally destroyed sustained heavy damage. Fortunately, the "sound wall" that runs along the housing development and the freeway prevented much of the debris from finding its way onto the freeway.
They're reporting six casualties now, including one fireman (according to the tv news).
Holy Cow!
http://sacbee.com/latest/story/1497801.html
Photo:
Aerial view:
That's the freeway to the extreme left of the photo. That's all that's left of the home...in between those two damaged homes.
UPDATE: 12/24/08 at 10:07pm: Watching the local TV news, unfortunately, there has been a death from this explosion. A 72 year old man was injured so severely that he passed away at the hospital. 3 others -- including the PG&E worker and the fireman -- have been treated and released, and the two burn victims are still in the hospital.
And there were two explosions. The first one that injured the residents, and a second explosion that destroyed the home, while the neighbors were providing assistance. The firefighter was injured fighting the fire.
Photos and a video clip at the Sacramento Bee:
http://sacbee.com/topstories/story/1497801.html
UPDATE: 12/25/08 @ 11:09 -- The 911 tapes for this incident were released tonight on several of the local TV station web sites. One of the audios was the fire dispatcher on the initial dispatch, these were the units sent: Battalion 14 & 13; Engines: 61, 62, 64, 65, and 66; Truck 65; Rescue 21; Medic 32, Metro AC and BC 14 and 13. Most of these units came from the Fire Station that was about a half mile south of where I was pulled over on Folsom Blvd. Most of us drivers had pulled over to the right hand side of the road and we stayed there for a good 15-20 minutes. Not only fire department equipment roared by us, but multiple ambulances, and patrol cars from various law enforcement agencies.
http://www.kcra.com/news/18358502/detail.html
Holy Cow!
Everyone driving hit their brakes and stopped. I thought a plane had crashed (we're right next to Mather Commercial Airport, the old Mather AFB), but I'm home now, and they're saying it was a natural gas explosion in a home.
Good gravy!
Even with the car heater on full blast, and the radio on, I could hear the explosion and I could feel my car rocking from the blast.
The homes on either side of the home that was literally destroyed sustained heavy damage. Fortunately, the "sound wall" that runs along the housing development and the freeway prevented much of the debris from finding its way onto the freeway.
They're reporting six casualties now, including one fireman (according to the tv news).
Holy Cow!
http://sacbee.com/latest/story/1497801.html
Photo:
Aerial view:
That's the freeway to the extreme left of the photo. That's all that's left of the home...in between those two damaged homes.
UPDATE: 12/24/08 at 10:07pm: Watching the local TV news, unfortunately, there has been a death from this explosion. A 72 year old man was injured so severely that he passed away at the hospital. 3 others -- including the PG&E worker and the fireman -- have been treated and released, and the two burn victims are still in the hospital.
And there were two explosions. The first one that injured the residents, and a second explosion that destroyed the home, while the neighbors were providing assistance. The firefighter was injured fighting the fire.
Photos and a video clip at the Sacramento Bee:
http://sacbee.com/topstories/story/1497801.html
UPDATE: 12/25/08 @ 11:09 -- The 911 tapes for this incident were released tonight on several of the local TV station web sites. One of the audios was the fire dispatcher on the initial dispatch, these were the units sent: Battalion 14 & 13; Engines: 61, 62, 64, 65, and 66; Truck 65; Rescue 21; Medic 32, Metro AC and BC 14 and 13. Most of these units came from the Fire Station that was about a half mile south of where I was pulled over on Folsom Blvd. Most of us drivers had pulled over to the right hand side of the road and we stayed there for a good 15-20 minutes. Not only fire department equipment roared by us, but multiple ambulances, and patrol cars from various law enforcement agencies.
http://www.kcra.com/news/18358502/detail.html