PG&E Explains Another Fiery S.F. Explosion

  NEWS

Nov. 27 - KGO (KGO) -- Another explosion under a San Francisco manhole erupted in the heart of downtown this weekend and it's the second in is as many weeks. PG&E says it's spending $600 million dollars over the next two years on upgrading its equipment, but the accidents continue.

Several people witnessed the underground explosion at about 5:30 Sunday evening at Market and Powell streets.

Michael Gates, witness: "I heard a big boom first and then a few seconds later, flames came bursting out of it."

Witness: "I was just walking over it and as soon as I walked over it, the flames came up pretty high."

By the time San Francisco firefighters arrived, only smoke remained. PG&E blames an electrical cable failure and downplayed the incident.

Darlene Chiu, PG&E spokesperson: "The cable failure caused smoke to come up from the vault. There are holes in the vault and people saw the smoke."

This is just one in a string of underground fires or explosions involving PG&E's infrastructure. The most serious happened in August 2005 when a transformer exploded at Kearny and Post. Lisa Nash suffered serious burns from the blast. PG&E blamed the explosion on moisture inside the vault.

Darlene Chiu, PG&E spokesperson: "When water is mixed with lubricant, it will cause an explosion. But the incident last night was not related to the transformer nor was it the vault itself. It was the cable that failed."

Neither PG&E nor the San Francisco Fire Department could tell ABC7 just how many dangerous incidents like these have occurred, but less than two weeks ago, cables shorted out at Union Square and forced the evacuation of a nearby hotel.

Tony Winnicker, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission: "The most recent incident does lead us to question the extent of that investigation and the truer condition of the grid."

The California Public Utilities Commission regulates PG&E but did not return our calls. PG&E says vaults are now inspected at least once a year. However, the San Francisco PUC says it will look at both its legal and political options if the explosions continue.

Tony Winnicker, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission: "Ultimately they are a private utility that owns the city's transmission and distribution system and they have a responsibility just like we have a responsibility that they're safe and reliable."

As for Sunday's incident, PG&E says it will replace the faulty cable and send it to a third party to determine just why it failed.

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