Displaced Explosion Victim Sues PG&E

Bay City News—A San Bruno man is suing Pacific Gas & Electric Co. for repercussions from the natural gas pipeline explosion that tore through the Crestmoor neighborhood Sept. 9, his attorney said today.

Resident Steve Dare rents a home that was near the explosion, which destroyed 37 homes, damaged four dozen homes,  and left at least four dead and dozens injured.

Neither Dare nor his home were affected by the blast, but he had to evacuate for several days, said his attorney William Audet.          

Audet filed the lawsuit against PG&E in San Mateo County Superior Court with the intention of seeking damages for all residents impacted by the explosion.          

He added that the class action suit seeks to create a fund that would turn over a $100 million recovery fund PG&E pledged for blast victims to a third party and pay other monetary damages.

"The problem now is the lack of transparency with respect to the overall distribution of the funds," Audet said. "We think that this would remove any problems with conflicts with PG&E's own agenda."

In addition to the fund, PG&E President Chris Johns said PG&E has already presented Mayor Jim Ruane with a check for $3 million to help cover the costs of responding to the disaster and to "rebuild the parks, rebuild the streets, rebuild the sidewalks."          

The company also will be issuing checks of up to $50,000 to individual households affected by the explosion and fire.