Doorbell camera captures terrifying gas explosion

CALIFORNIA: A doorbell camera on Wednesday caught a terrifying gas line explosion in Hayward, showing the exact moment three buildings were engulfed in a fireball.

The blast happened around 9:30 AM on December 11, injuring at least six people who were subsequently hospitalized.

The footage of the incident documents the sudden chaos that unfolded on a residential street. What began as routine maintenance, with a worker in a high-visibility vest near a truck, instantly turned disastrous as the gas line violently erupted.

The video captures a massive, bomb-like explosion that blasts debris hundreds of feet into the air, forcing the nearby worker to desperately take cover. After the dust settled, an unnerving silence was broken only by the shocked reactions of the homeowners witnessing the widespread devastation.

According to Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), the incident started hours earlier. Around 7:35 AM, a third-party construction crew—not affiliated with PG&E—hit an underground gas line while digging on Lewelling Boulevard. Utility crews were dispatched immediately to isolate the line.

PG&E stated, “The flow of gas was finally stopped at 9:25 AM, but the explosion occurred approximately 10 minutes later.”

Seventy-five firefighters responded to the scene to battle the resulting fires. Photos from the aftermath show law enforcement and clean-up crews sifting through rubble, with filing cabinets, furniture, and structural debris scattered across the street.

Residents were left shaken by the intensity of the blast. Christian Maldonado, who lives on the street, told KTVU, “I heard a loud bang; it shook the whole house.” Another local, Steve, went to check on his aunt who lives nearby and described the scene as surreal: “It was scary. It felt like a scene from Hollywood. It was unreal.”