A violent explosion in the Ashland area of unincorporated Alameda County near the city of Hayward last week blew eyeglasses off the eyes of a woman wearing them and and also killed two pets in the house the blast destroyed.
So wrote Jessica Fox of her parents’ experience during the Thursday blast, which tore the home apart and hospitalized six, including three with critical injuries. Fox wrote about her family’s hope for recovery while posting on a fundraising page.
“Miraculously, both my parents are safe,” Fox wrote. “My mom was in the living room when the house suddenly and violently exploded. . . . My mom’s glasses were blown off her face. Her phone, wallet, and ID, clothing, documents. A lifetime’s worth of tools and family heirlooms are gone in an instant.”
The explosion in the 800 block of East Lewelling Avenue happened about 9:38 a.m. and caused a three-alarm fire. It came after gas escaped a PG&E line that was damaged by construction from a third-party crew not affiliated with the utility. That crew damaged the line about 7:50 a.m., utility spokesperson Tamar Sarkissian said, adding that crews later found a second sight from which gas escaped the damage.
The natural gas pipeline that exploded was installed in the 1940s and had been damaged during recent road construction work, according to a National Transportation Safety Board preliminary investigation.
Three buildings on two properties were destroyed, including the home Fox wrote about. Neighbors across the street from the one that was destroyed likened the post-explosion scene to a “post-apocalyptic movie.”
Fox’s mother “managed to rescue one of their dogs, Millie, and tried to crawl through the fire and rubble before firefighters intervened and pulled her to safety,” she wrote. “Tragically, the other dog, Bright Eyes, and their kitty did not survive the blast.”
Fox wrote that her dad was at work. Her mother was home.
“We are still in shock but incredibly thankful that my mom escaped alive and unharmed,” Fox wrote. “It’s truly a miracle she walked away from this.”
Fox wrote that the fundraiser seeks to replace what was lost in the home, establish stable housing, and help her father keep his business. Fox wrote that a shop also was on the property. The Red Cross provided the family with temporary hotel accommodations for two nights until the family could move in with relatives.
“Our family is in good spirits despite the tragedy and stay positive while we figure out the next steps thru this,” she wrote. “Life is too short. We are just soo grateful they are okay.”
Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the explosion.