Community Corner

Cupertino Condo Blast Being Looked at by Federal Investigators

Seven leaks are found in pipes by PG&E in the area around Northwest Square, near Homestead Road and De Anza Boulevard, where Wednesday's fire occurred.

The garage door that blew off a Cupertino condominium Wednesday may be blamed on leaky PG&E pipes, according to news reports.

Around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, shortly after Lynn Tsui, 45, owner of the condo, left to have lunch with her daughter, there was a flood of 911 calls reporting sounds of an explosion in the area, according to the San Francisco Chronicle and San Jose Mercury News.

Tsui’s condo on Northwest Square, off Homestead Road and De Anza Boulevard, was destroyed in the blaze that reportedly ignited again sometime on Thursday and destroyed what remained, Tsui’s family told the Chronicle. Tsui’s shih tzu dog, Tofu, was found hiding by firefighters under a bed in the only unscathed room. Tofu was treated for smoke inhalation at a veterinary hospital.

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Reports are that the Cupertino blast is being looked at closely by federal investigators in light of scrutiny following the San Bruno accident and Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s poor record keeping of pipelines.

PG&E crews are said to have found “seven leaks in the 2-inch pipes that distribute gas to homes in the area near the explosion,” according to the Mercury News.

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"We are going to look at any commonalities this may have had with other investigations and will take any appropriate followup action," Kelly Nantel, a spokeswoman for the National Transportation Safety Board, told the Chronicle.

“Given our recent experience with investigating accidents in California, we think this is an appropriate level of involvement."

PG&E officials told the Chronicle that it took crews two hours to shut off the gas after the explosion was reported. PG&E workers were at the scene about 30 minutes after the first report of the blast, fire officials told the Chronicle.


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