Hayward explosion takes center stage at supervisors meeting
Hayward residents had prior concerns before explosion
Residents in a Hayward neighborhood said they had raised concerns about a construction project on East Lewelling Boulevard before last week’s explosion that destroyed several homes.
HAYWARD, Calif. - A gas pipeline explosion in a neighborhood near Hayward was a central topic at Tuesday's meeting of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors.
Two dozen residents who live along East Lewelling Boulevard attended the meeting to raise safety concerns following last week’s explosion, which shook the surrounding neighborhood.
Investigators say six people were injured in the explosion, including three PG&E workers. Three buildings were destroyed.
A Hayward family of five said they lost everything, as did a husband and wife who live next door.
Residdent Bo Yan thanked first responders, but said she was angry with the county for not addressing neighbors' prior concerns about the construction project. Other residents told the board that they were worried about staying in their homes with the project and PG&E not warning them hours before the blast.
"PG& E never alerted us that there was a gas leak in the neighborhood, so people were still using the gas, I'm sure, before the explosion," another neighbor said.
The board listened to the concerns of residents, though the topic wasn't formally on the agenda.
"We are praying for everyone for a full recovery. We are investigating deeply into what happened," said Board President David Haubert."
Hayward explosion: Family of 5 lost everything in blast
A family of five lost their home and everything they owned in a gas pipe explosion near Hayward last week, family friends said, while trying to raise money to help them.
In a statement, Alameda County said the East Lewelling Boulevard project was meant to widen sidewalks and add bike lanes, and would resume in the "coming weeks." County officials have not discussed the specifics of what happened.
The National Transportation Safety Board says the gas pipeline was damaged during an ongoing road improvement project.
Residents identified the construction crew as Redgwick Construction, based in Oakland.
According to Cal-OSHA enforcement records, Redgwick has had no citations or violations in the last decade.
Before the meeting, resident Cathy Rodriguez sent out flyers, encouraging residents to attend.
"We have neighbors who are homeless," she said. "The businesses are empty. No one is staying in my house. I am concerned about what could take place. They are working on gas lines right now."
Yan said she had been complaining about problems tied to the project for months.
"When the explosion happened, I was in the backyard. I knew it was a gas pipe. It was shocking," she said.
She said she had also dealt with flooding before Thanksgiving and that her basement developed mold.
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