Gas Explosion Near Hayward Spurs Federal, State and Local Investigations

Three people who required immediate hospitalization after an explosion near Hayward are stable on Friday as federal, state and local authorities investigate the blast.

The explosion, which seemed to originate from a damaged natural gas line, rocked the 800 block of Lewelling Boulevard in the unincorporated community of Ashland around 9:38 a.m. Thursday, destroying three buildings.

The National Transportation Safety Board told KQED that a team of four investigators will be on the scene on Friday to document the area and examine the pipeline and equipment involved. Though the federal agency usually investigates transportation accidents, it also has jurisdiction over pipelines and incidents involving hazardous materials.

The California Public Utilities Commission also confirmed that it is investigating.

In addition to the three people who required immediate transport, three others suffered minor injuries, according to Alameda County Fire Department spokesperson Cheryl Hurd.

“The injuries noted include burns to an unknown degree, respiratory issues and bone fractures,” Hurd said.

Two of the victims were being treated at the Bothin Burn Center at UCSF Health Hyde Hospital as of Friday afternoon, the university confirmed.

Doorbell camera footage shared with ABC7 News caught the moment that the explosion blew a roof apart, propelling debris and smoke into the air and causing at least one worker nearby to flee.

PG&E spokesperson Tamar Sarkissian said the utility company was first notified at 7:35 a.m. that an unaffiliated third-party construction crew struck an underground gas line.

In response, the utility company sent its own workers to the scene to isolate the damaged line and stop the flow of gas.

Firefighters arrived on scene soon after the broken gas line was reported, around 7:50 a.m., but were cleared about five minutes later, according to the Alameda County Fire Department.

Over the next hour or so, PG&E crews identified two damaged areas releasing gas, Sarkissian said — one was stopped at 8:18 a.m. and the second was stopped at 9:25 a.m., but the explosion happened roughly 10 minutes later. Three of those injured were PG&E employees.

“PG&E will be conducting an extensive investigation around potential cause and will support other investigations that may take place,” Sarkissian said.

After the explosion triggered a three-alarm fire, 75 firefighters responded to the scene, said Hurd, the Fire Department spokesperson.