Details surrounding the massive Hayward gas explosion that injured six people and set off a major fire in a neighborhood have been released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). According to the preliminary report, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) detected gas at ground level near the site of the explosion about an hour after its crew had supposedly capped the original leak. Despite this, PG&E crews began digging operations shortly after and less than an hour later, the massive explosion occurred.
The NTSB report provides a detailed timeline of the event starting hours before the blast. On December 11, at approximately 7:25 am, PG&E was notified by Mayo Asphalt Milling that a service line had been damaged while they were conducting roadwork on East Lewelling Boulevard. By 8:18 am, the repair crew had capped the original leak; however, shortly after this, PG&E crews detected gas at ground level near the accident home.
Despite knocking on doors of the affected homes and those adjacent to it, no one responded. PG&E crews then began digging up the main gas line about an hour later, which ultimately led to the massive explosion that set off a large fire in the neighborhood.
According to the report, the blast demolished one home and severely damaged several others, with Alameda County Fire Department returning to the scene. At least five residents are now filing a lawsuit against the county and responsible parties, citing the NTSB's investigation as evidence of liability.
PG&E released a statement expressing their commitment to working together with regulatory bodies and other entities to ensure the safe delivery of energy to customers. The company acknowledged that their safety responsibility is paramount and offered condolences to those affected by the incident.
The NTSB report provides a detailed timeline of the event starting hours before the blast. On December 11, at approximately 7:25 am, PG&E was notified by Mayo Asphalt Milling that a service line had been damaged while they were conducting roadwork on East Lewelling Boulevard. By 8:18 am, the repair crew had capped the original leak; however, shortly after this, PG&E crews detected gas at ground level near the accident home.
Despite knocking on doors of the affected homes and those adjacent to it, no one responded. PG&E crews then began digging up the main gas line about an hour later, which ultimately led to the massive explosion that set off a large fire in the neighborhood.
According to the report, the blast demolished one home and severely damaged several others, with Alameda County Fire Department returning to the scene. At least five residents are now filing a lawsuit against the county and responsible parties, citing the NTSB's investigation as evidence of liability.
PG&E released a statement expressing their commitment to working together with regulatory bodies and other entities to ensure the safe delivery of energy to customers. The company acknowledged that their safety responsibility is paramount and offered condolences to those affected by the incident.
like PG&E detected gas but still dug up the main line? what's going on with these utility companies? they seem more concerned with getting the job done quickly than keeping their customers safe. and no one even responded to the knock on doors, that's just crazy 
can't believe people are already filing lawsuits against the county... seems like there should be some real accountability here
. I remember back in my grandma's day, they used to have these old gas lamps outside homes, and if one was damaged, it'd just... stop working 
. Nowadays, it's all about digging up the main line and hoping for the best 
. Like, what happened here? PG&E detects gas an hour after they supposedly capped the leak? That don't add up 
. And no one even answered their door when they knocked on them houses... talk about weird 
. I hope those residents can get some justice and find out what really went down 
. And sorry to all the people affected by this explosion, it's just so senseless 
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I mean, I've had problems with pipes bursting in my own DIY projects (yes, I've done some plumbing myself), but at least I would've known if there was a problem like that. PG&E should be super careful, you know? 
Like, how could they not notice the gas again after just an hour later? 
The fact that they didn't even get anyone's response when knocking on doors is just weird... it's like they were in a rush or something. 
Anyway, I hope everyone involved gets the help and support they need - this whole thing sounds super traumatic. 
I'm also really frustrated with the fact that no one responded to their knocks on doors, you know, in case someone needed emergency help or something. 
"It's better to take risks than not to take them, but you should be willing to walk away from a bad decision" 
- Unknown 
The whole situation with PG&E is really unsettling, I can imagine how terrifying it must have been for the people in that neighborhood. How can they detect gas at ground level just an hour after supposedly capping the original leak? 
my heart goes out to them. PG&E needs to take responsibility for their mistakes and make sure this never happens again. I remember when things were safer, you know? 
. The timeline reveals a staggering lack of attention to detail and a clear failure of their safety protocols 
. It's concerning that no one responded to PG&E's knocks on doors despite being aware of the potential risks, which raises questions about the neighborhood's preparedness for such emergencies 
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. The fact that at least five residents are now filing a lawsuit against the county and responsible parties is a testament to the gravity of this incident 
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. And can we just say that our energy company needs to get its priorities straight? This was preventable if they'd taken more care when finding and fixing that leak 
. The people of Hayward deserve to feel safe in their own homes, especially after an incident like this 
It's a pretty big deal that nobody came out when PG&E was trying to do some repairs. You'd think at least someone would be like, "Hey, wait a minute, what are you guys doing?" 
And then PG&E crews are digging up the main gas line without even checking if it's safe? That's just reckless. I feel bad for those six people who got hurt and the homes that were demolished.