Police are searching for a man who allegedly sexually assaulted a woman inside a vacant classroom at Skyline College on Tuesday night. "The female victim told police she was alone in a classroom when a man entered the room and sexually assaulted her," reports SF Examiner. "The suspect fled the room following the assault." more ›

Speaking of recent San Bruno fire news, 42-year-old Lisa Justin and 44-year-old Sonya Smith were convicted on Tuesday of trying to pass themselves off as victims in an effort to get relief aid. The women, who lived about five miles from the Crestmoor neighborhood where the blast occurred, had applied for new identification cards using addresses located in Crestmoor. They pleaded no contest to robbery and perjury charges and face maximum sentences of two years in state prison. There are reportedly five other people facing similar charges. more ›

Four months after the San Bruno blast, city officials are still trying to figure out how to best distribute the $395,000 worth of donations to the victims. The issue is pretty complicated since the city doesn't want to pay for losses that might eventually be covered by PG&E and other insurance companies, and agencies such as the American Red Cross provided a lot of aid early on. Classifying the victims also poses a challenge. more ›

As the NTSB mulls whether to hold a federal hearing in D.C. on the San Bruno blast investigation, news arrives from PG&E that San Franciscans may face a natural gas shortage this winter due to the loss of the high-pressure line that ruptured September 9. PG&E mentioned this, almost as an afterthought, in a public meeting held yesterday at the San Bruno Senior Center, in the midst of trying to mollify the concerns of Peninsula residents, saying that their gas supplies should be sufficient. In S.F., however, it's looking like they'll be setting up "mobile gas solutions" in order to make up for the shortage if temperature stay low up in the city. more ›

In the wake of the September 9th San Bruno natural gas explosion, Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer introduced legislation to "strengthen oversight of the nation’s pipelines and increase the penalties for violations of federal pipeline safety regulations." more ›

"Appetite For Destruction" for Troy Holden. more ›

San Bruno's Crestmoor Elementary School, located neat the explosion and fire site, has been evacuated this morning. This comes on the heels of two other school evacuations (at Galileo High School in San Francisco and Portola Elementary in San Bruno) over gas leaks that turned out to be false. This morning, two teachers reported turning on the heat and smelling gas. Which is what happened yesterday. Which is what happens whenever you turn on the heat after not using it for awhile. Understandably, we are a bit tense over possible gas links after last week's disaster. more ›

A gas leak scare at Portola Elementary in San Bruno forced an evacuation this morning. Fortunately, according to the fine folks at KRON 4 Morning News, no leak was found. Whew. more ›

In a failed effort to get "free food and other aid," four people were arrested on Tuesday after allegedly posing as San Bruno explosion victims. SF Chronicle reports: "The four submitted driver's license applications in which they falsely said that they lived in the burned-out area, according to the state Department of Motor Vehicles. They could have been eligible for free cell phones, gift cards from Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and local stores such as Old Navy and Lunardi's Market." Ugh. more ›

A thank-you sign is posted in front of a saved home about a block from destroyed homes in San Bruno, Calif., Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2010, where a pipeline exploded on Thursday. The tragic explosion of a gas pipeline has shed light on a problem usually kept underground: Communities have expanded over pipes built decades earlier when no one lived there. Utilities have been under pressure for years to better inspect and replace aging gas pipes, many of them laid years before sprawling communities were erected around them, that now are at risk of leaking or erupting. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma) more ›

Contrary to bumper sticker ideology, shit doesn't just happen -- at least when it comes to the San Bruno explosion fire, that is. Concern and confusion, sparked by the natural gas explosion that tore apart the homes and lives of San Bruno residents on Thursday, has now turned to anger. After several residents allegedly contacted Pacific Gas & Electric concerning a possible gas leak, and that nothing was done after said reports, much ire is being directed at the notoriously shifty PG&E. more ›

At a gas station in San Bruno, a surveillance video caught Thursday's natural gas explosion and fire on film. "You can see one man getting ready to fill up his car when something catches his attention," notes NBC Bay Area, who first aired the footage. "That something was a huge fireball caused by an explosion of a 30-inch pipe." more ›

Amid rumors of recent San Bruno gas leak reports that went nowhere with the company, that crews came out and did nothing -- allegedly, of course -- the president of Pacific Gas and Electric Co., according to CBS 5, "says the utility company is launching a $100 million fund for victims of last week's gas pipeline explosion." The money will "help victims meet their day-to-day needs and would come with 'no strings attached.'" more ›

The California Public Utilities Commission has ordered PG&E to check for leaks in of its gas lines. This, of course, comes on the heels of Thursday's San Bruno fire and explosion. more ›

After Thursday's natural gas pipeline explosion, which displaced many San Bruno citizens, several residents will be allowed to return home at noon today. more ›

Update: Yesterday's death toll, raised to six, then seven, now stands as "unclear." SFAppeal reports: "After releasing a statement (since removed from the internet) confirming that at least 7 people had died and six are still missing after Thursday night's gas explosion and fire in San Bruno last night, San Bruno city officials are now backing off from that statement, saying instead that 4 remain confirmed dead, and that they can't speak to the number missing." more ›

A natural gas line explosion erupted in San Bruno on Thursday at Skyline Boulevard and Sneath Lane, sending a continuous fireball into the sky that destroyed 32 homes and killed four six residents. The massive explosion, which was heard for miles, was due to a gas line that... more ›

After Thursday's natural gas explosion and massive fire that, if you will, put San Bruno on the map, four people are confirmed dead. Three of the four deceased have been identified: a mother and daughter team, 44-year-old Jacqueline Greig and 13-year-old Janessa Greig, were killed during the blaze. more ›

The natural gas fire that devastated San Bruno is now 75% contained, confirms Lt. Governor / acting Governor Abel Maldonado. Also, as recovery efforts are underway, San Bruno residents are urged to check-in by calling the San Bruno Fire Hotline at 650-616-7180. more ›

Thursday's natural gas fire, which sparked a bit before 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, originated from a Pacific Gas and Electric Co. gas line. PG&E President Chris Johns, according to the Chronicle, "came to the scene Thursday night, told reporters hours after the blast that the cause was under investigation." PG&E also stated that, if the cause of the explosion is their fault, they will take full responsibility. more ›

Shortly after 6 p.m on Thursday, a natural gas line explosion erupted in San Bruno at Skyline Boulevard and Sneath Lane, "sending up a geyser of fire, critically burning residents and igniting a blaze that gobbled up more than a dozen houses," notes SFGate. The massive explosion was heard for miles, and mistaken by many as an airplane crash, which sparked a firestorm... more ›

According to CBS 5, "a huge explosion happened in the San Bruno area and huge flames can be seen...the flames are near Crestmore and San Ramon Avenues." The fire has torched multiple homes; an entire neighborhood is on fire. A least halk a dozen homes are ablaze. more ›

If Oz taught us anything, it's that prisoners will have sex. That said, in an effort to curb sexually transmitted diseases, the San Francisco County Jail's San Bruno clink installed 16 condom machines for about 750 prisoners. more ›

Has another train line anywhere else in the country been so frequently homicidal as our little Peninsula-bound rail? more ›

This just in: "At 1300 hours today [1 p.m. -- SFist], possible Mountain Lion [Pretty, pretty fluff puff with a big, wet nose] seen on trail on San Bruno Mountain [at his or her home]. If mountain lion seen, call 9-1-1 Sent by XXX to Brisbane, San Bruno, South San Francisco, Daly City (E-mail accounts, Pagers, Cell phones) through SMC Alert." Consider yourselves warned. (Thanks, KatyG, for the details!) more ›

If you've noticed over the past couple of days, it's smells a bit smoky, a bit ashy in Baghdad by the Bay. It seems, according to CBS 5, Northern California is suffering from about 950 wildfire right now.The top half of the state is, in essence, on fire. Yikes! So far, Carmel Valley residents have been forced from their homes due to the massive blaze in the Los Padres National Forest over in Monterey County, which is the largest blaze yet. more ›

Last night's five-alarm wildfire in the San Bruno Mountains, which threatened homes in South San Francisco, has been 75 percent as of this morning. The crisp weather and fog -- which has mercifully killed this past weekend's vile heatwave -- has helped firefighters attack the blaze successfully. more ›

A wildfire on San Bruno Mountain may threaten some homes on the South side of the mountain along Sister Cities Blvd tonight. These shots, taken by a reader on Drake Avenue (across Hillside) at around 8:35 p.m., show the fire heading close to South SF as "numerous firetrucks rush[ed] to the scene along with several helicopters on hand to battle the flames from the air." The area is a new development of million dollar homes and are "in the line of fire." more ›

Good grief. You’re really struggling getting your luxury SUV into that space in front of Tena Pro Nails, aren’t you? Do you have an 11 A.M. pedicure appointment? It’s a few minutes after the hour...

Upon quick glance, Portola’s main business drag, San Bruno Avenue, seems acutely workaday compared to a few of its neighborhood-cousins around town. If Russian Hill is a cute little summer dress and the Mission is an old Air Supply T-shirt worn tightly and ironically, Portola is a pair of blue Levi’s—straight-leg ones. And the hair looks terrific. more ›

Mayor Gavin Newsom says that one of his "top priorities is to ensure that every San Franciscan has a safe and happy New Year. Riding Muni is a smart and green way to ring in the new year." (Thanks, Gavin!) And with a firm flick of his wrist, this New Year's Eve, starting at 8 p.m., Muni will be free all night, which is about what it's worth. The free rides come to a screeching halt at 6 a.m., Tuesday, January 1. more ›