SAN ANTONIO -- A ruptured gas line on the Far North Side sparked an explosion and fire Wednesday morning.
The explosion happened around 10:15 a.m. near the corner of Blanco Road and Huebner at the entrance of the Greystone subdivision, north of Loop 1604.
Nearly 30 units from the San Antonio Fire Department have been dispatched to the scene. Firefighters had the flames put out by noon. Officials said crews were waiting for the gas to burn off before attempting to cap the gas line.
Firefighters are watering down homes and vegetation in the Greystone subdivision as a precaution. They are also keeping an eye on the Pinnacle subdivision, which is nearby.
A worker operating a backhoe at the site of the explosion and fire was able to leap from the backhoe and escaped without injury. Several cars in nearby parking lots were burned by the blast. A nearby security building at the entrance of the Greystone subdivision caught fire, but firefighter quickly put out the flames.
A pharmacist at the CVS Pharmacy located near the site told News 4 WOAI employees and customers heard an explosion and could feel the heat from the blast inside the store.
Witness Susan Franklin told News 4 WOAI in a phone interview that she was driving near the intersection of Huebner and Blanco when she saw flames shoot 3 stories high. Franklin said the site of the rupture was in an area where crews are widening Huebner.
CPS Energy officials confirmed a 24" gas line was hit by a rock saw work crews were using. They also said about 3000 CPS Energy customers in the nearby area lost electricity.
Streets near the rupture were closed, and traffic was backed up throughout the area.
The City of San Antonio activated its Citizen Notification Program (Reverse 9-1-1) in the event any disabled people in the area needed to be notified and receive help.
No injuries were reported.
