Yet again, PG&E is being blamed by firefighters for taking way too long to shut off a gas main during a four-alarm fire at a construction site yesterday afternoon. Two hours in fact. The blaze badly burned a construction worker and injured three fire fighters before it was under control.

The fire broke out around 3:45 p.m. yesterday at a home under construction at 2809 San Bruno Avenue in the Portola neighborhood. Construction workers were welding a water pipe when they accidentally punctured and ignited a one-inch gas pipe, leading to a major blaze.

PG&E then took two hours to shut off the natural gas coming to the house. The company claims the delay was caused by having to dig into the ground to pinch a pipe, because the fire was preventing them from getting to the house to shut off the valve there.

Joanne Hayes-White, SF Fire Chief, said it took "longer than necessary for them to cap the leak," despite the issues with the site. The fire caused $1.4 million in damages.

[Chron]

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