Friday, September 10, 2010

I'm close, but not that close

Yes, I do live in California. I  live about thirty minutes east from the big San Bruno Fire and Explosion.
No, I don't know anyone in the fire area- thank goodness.

There are about 50 homes burned to the ground. There are at least 6 confirmed dead and 120 injured. Many more are displaced and staying in emergency shelters.

It started by a pipe line that ruptured. A pipe line that was installed in 1948.  The fire then ran down the line and caught the other houses on fire. Everyone evacuated as fast as they could.

I live in a town that has a refinery. Periodically it blows up. Really- fire and smoke and people dead or dying. You take your chances living in a town with a refinery- we all know the risks and live with it.
These poor folks were all home just beginning to fix dinners, tuck kiddies into bed, water veggie gardens: all the things you would do in a bedroom community like San Bruno.
Then the world shook. Fearing a big earthquake ( as we all do who live in the Bay Area) people ran from their homes to see a column of smoke and fire that towered high into the sky. At that point many people feared it was a crashed jet- San Bruno is very near the San Francisco Airport and planes fly overhead all day long.

There is no way to prepare for a disaster like this. Nothing you could do would change what happened.We are at the mercy of the utility companies. That thought does not inspire confidence.

I am praying for the families of those who have died and for those whose loved ones are missing and feared dead.

Please send them all a prayer today too.