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San Bernardino Gasoline Explosion Kills At Least Two, Hospitalizes 13

By Jamie Geller July 3, 2013
Hard News Writing Sample

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.A gasoline pipeline explosion this morning killed two San Bernardino residents and hospitalized 13 at the San Bernardino County Medical Center. At 8:11 a.m., between Duffy Street and Highland Avenue, a 14-inch gasoline pipeline that carried unleaded fuel from Colton to Nevada ruptured six feet underground, spraying fuel on local homes. This is the same location where a freight train derailed two weeks earlier, killing four as it crashed through a string of homes. Two people have died in a home on Duffy Street. One body was burned beyond recognition. The other victim is believed to be a man. Firefighters are looking for a third victim in the home, said San Bernardino Fire Department spokesman, Paul Allaire. The exact cause of the explosion remains elusive to both the police and gas company officials. We dont know the cause of the break. It could have been the train, obviously, Calnev gas company official David Andries said. There has been an explosion. We havent sored anything out yet, Police spokesman Gary Fahnstrock said. Evacuation has already begun on Duffy and Donald streets with the help of vans and busses.

About 700 people have been evacuated to the Red Cross evacuation center. The center has been set up at the Job Corps Center, 373 Kerry Street, said Gregory Garcia, a spokesman for the mayor of San Bernardino. (more) By 10 a.m. 30 residents from Duffy and Donald streets neighborhoods arrived at the center. Two vans and a bus are being used for the evacuation, Red Cross worker Theresa Schorder said. Speculation has been raised about the possible connection between the expulsion and the derailment two weeks ago. We were assured by the pipeline people it was safe [after the railroad accident] and the experts who examined it said there was no danger, San Bernardino City Attorney Jim Penman aid after touring site this morning from a helicopter. The explosion came as a surprise to Calnev pipeline general Manger Jed Robinson, who does not know how much fuel is in the pipe. The gas valves along the pipe fall into place whenever anything in the pipe starts to flow backward, Robinson said. A valve near the fire may not be completely closed, and that could influence the time it takes to put out the fire. A thick cloud of gray-black smoke from the explosion lingers visibly from as far away as Riverside and Ontario, clouding the city skies almost as much as the officials understanding of what set off the explosion. ### ! ! ! !

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