The PG&E Pipeline Explosion: A Survivor's Story

Monday marks the third anniversary of the devastating gas pipeline explosion and fire in the Crestmoor neighborhood of San Bruno. Eight lives were lost that day.

Maura Guerrero and her children escaped the inferno, but their lives were transformed by what happened that day.

Through email correspondence, Maura shares her heartfelt responses with Patch about the disaster and its aftermath.

Patch: First, were you or any family members at home at the time of the explosion?

Maura: My 2 kids and I had just gotten home when the pipeline blew. 

Patch: Did everyone escape safely?

Maura: We lost our wonderful cat, X, but we got out. I sustained burns on my feet and face. The face burns were like a really bad sunburn that gave me brown spots on both cheeks. The heat from the fire funneling between my and my neighbor's house was so intense it gave me burns under my calluses. Better, but heels are still sensitive. 

Patch: How long had you lived in the home before the explosion?

Maura: 14 years. 

Patch: Three years is a long time--what has taken so long to reach the point where you can finally rebuild?

Maura: We started rebuilding a year ago and are almost done.  There is a lot to process after a trauma. We had to decide if we wanted to rebuild. Then we needed to find the people to do it.  We needed to do an estimate on the house we had vs the house we wanted to build. We needed to decide what to build. 

Patch: Did your family mark any important milestones during those three years?

Maura: My daughter graduated from high school and is now in college. My son graduated from middle school and is now in high school. With such a short time for my son and my daughter in college, I wonder if this house will ever really feel like home to them.  My daughter assures me home is where the family is, so I am hopeful. 

Patch: Is there anything that you'd like to add?

Maura: I lost so many things I can never replace. Mementos from my childhood, and my mother, and my children's childhood.  All our wedding pictures.  I am grateful we are alive and well. I am grateful to my neighbors, friends, and the many organizations that have helped us and been supportive , including San Bruno city officials. It is nice to have a new house, but I wish it had never happened.  I hope PG&E makes sure the rest of their pipelines are safe and have automatic shut offs.  I hope it never happens again.  I hope X doesn't hate me because I could not save him.  He was a great cat and I really miss him.