Searchers find remains at Calif. blast site, officials unsure whether they belong to 2 missing

Searchers find remains at Calif. blast site

SAN BRUNO, Calif. — A city spokesman says authorities are now unsure whether remains found at the suburban San Francisco blast that destroyed nearly 40 homes belonged to the two people reported missing since the explosion and fire.

San Bruno spokesman Steve Firpo says the remains were found Saturday morning, but could be those of four people already reported dead.

Firpo said earlier Saturday that the discovery brought the death toll in Thursday’s blast to six people. He says officials now can only confirm that four died.

The San Mateo County Coroner’s office said 44-year-old Jacqueline Greig, her daughter 13-year-old Janessa, and 20-year-old Jessica Morales were killed in the fire. One other victim found earlier has yet to be identified.

Contributing to this report were video journalist Haven Daley in San Bruno and John S. Marshall and Sudhin Thanawala in San Francisco. Burke reported from Fresno, Calif.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

SAN BRUNO, Calif. (AP) — The section of gas pipeline that ruptured and exploded in a suburban San Francisco neighborhood, killing six and injuring nearly 60 others, was ranked as high risk because it ran through a highly populated area, state and federal authorities said Saturday.

One of the victims killed in the inferno Thursday worked for the commission reviewing Pacific Gas & Electric’s plans to upgrade another risky section of the same gas line two and a half miles away, California Public Utilities Commission spokeswoman Terrie Prosper said.

Longtime commission analyst Jacqueline Greig and her 13-year-old daughter Janessa died in the massive blast, which left a crater near their home. Jessica Morales, 20, was also killed in the explosion and fire.

Search teams found the remains Saturday morning of two more people who were killed, San Bruno city spokesman Steve Firpo said. One other victim found earlier has yet to be identified.

Some residents were allowed back into a limited area to retrieve belongings, but San Bruno Mayor Jim Ruane said he doubts any will be able to return permanently Saturday.

“We want to make sure that the gas lines are safe,” he said.

A group of local, state and federal officials toured the damaged area and described a ghost-town full of remnants of cars melted in driveways and pieces of houses, some left with just the chimney standing. Besides the 40 homes leveled by the blast, seven were severely damaged, while dozens of other houses suffered less severe damage in the fire that sped across 15 acres.

Contributing to this report were video journalist Haven Daley in San Bruno and John S. Marshall and Sudhin Thanawala in San Francisco. Burke reported from Fresno, Calif.