September 9 will mark the one-year anniversary of the San Bruno pipeline explosion and subsequent fire in which eight people were killed and 38 homes destroyed. Leading up to the anniversary, Amy Standen of KQED QUEST is interviewing survivors of the disaster.
On Sept 9, 2010, Kevin Ashley was home with his two children on Claremont Drive, about a block away from the explosion. Jayden, then 4, and Kaleah, 1, had just finished dinner and were jumping on the bed. When the blast hit, Kevin says, the heat was so intense he didn’t think he could make it to his car. So he picked up his kids and ran.
Today the Ashleys live in South San Francisco, and have no plans to return to San Bruno. “It’s not a home if you don’t feel safe,” says Michele Ashley.
A year later, Kevin still finds it difficult to talk about the experience. Audio of the interview and an edited transcript below…
Audio: Kevin Ashley and son Jayden describe the San Bruno blast