Petaluma woman among San Bruno burn victims

<p>Sandy Arnold's friends are praying and remembering better times with her as the Petaluma woman lies in a medically induced coma in a San Francisco burn unit.</p><p>Arnold, 58, suffered severe injuries in last week's gas line explosion and fire in San Bruno. She was visiting her sister and mother at their home Thursday when the blast and subsequent inferno occurred. Her mother, Elizabeth Torres, 81, died shortly after the initial blast.</p><p>Arnold and her sister and brother-in-law, Cindy and Allen Braun, were seriously injured. All three are among four patients being treated at the St. Francis Memorial Hospital burn unit. All are in stable condition, according to a hospital spokesman.</p><p>According to earlier reports, Arnold suffered the most serious injuries of the three, with burns to about 70 percent of her body. A doctor said late last week that the most severely injured patients were being sedated and were on breathing machines.</p><p>On Monday, several neighbors talked about Arnold and sent their collective encouragement to her and her family.</p><p>“We're all praying for her. Our thoughts are with Bill and Sandy,” said neighbor Dorothy Pazamickas, who lives a few doors down in an East Petaluma senior complex. “The whole family needs it at this point.”</p><p>Arnold's two adult sons have flown to San Francisco from Colorado, and her best friend drove in from out of town, said another neighbor, Florence Silsby. Husband Bill Arnold has been staying in San Francisco, Silsby said.</p><p>Arnold has a number of grandchildren in Colorado. She previously lived Oklahoma and Denver, and for a time on the Russian River.</p><p>The Arnolds have been residents of the tidy complex for at least eight years, their friends said, and the pair even got married in the park's clubhouse several years ago.</p><p>Bill Arnold couldn't be reached Monday.</p><p>Sandy Arnold was a part-time clerk at Petaluma's Orchard Supply Hardware store until back and arm injuries recently reduced her ability to work. Before that, she worked at a local bank.</p><p>“She had a rough time of it, but the last six months she had been doing a lot better,” said Maxine Buffo, who lives a few doors down.</p><p>Arnold's friends said she is very social and attends pot lucks and other gatherings at the clubhouse.</p><p>“She really enjoys life. She always comes to the parties,” said Buffo.</p><p>“Every morning I would open my screen door, and Sandy would be sitting out there in the back,” Buffo said. “And Saturday I didn't see her.”</p><p>The dire news is still sinking in.</p><p>“You just never think it's going to happen to someone you know,” Silsby said. “I've become very close to Sandy. (Sandy and Bill) have become like an adopted family.”</p><p>Silsby said PG&E provided hotel rooms, rental cars and gift cards to help with the family's needs as they stand vigil at the burn unit.</p><p>She said Bill Arnold told her Sandy had two facial surgeries last week, had skin grafts planned for the weekend and likely would need more operations.</p><p>“She's doing as well as can be expected,” Silsby said.</p><p>Arnold is one of nine children and often visited her mother, who also occasionally visited Petaluma. Recently Torres and Arnold enjoyed gambling at a Ukiah casino, the neighbors said.</p><p>Torres had lived in the San Bruno house for 30 years. The Brauns moved in to care for her about 10 years ago after her husband died.</p><p>Arnold visited last week to help her mother with a doctor's appointment. She was going to return home on Friday, friends said.</p><p>Allen Braun, who was burned mostly on his hands and feet, told Bill Arnold that the family was in separate rooms when they heard a “whoosh,” and then a loud explosion, Silsby said.</p><p>They ran for the exits, but encountered fire and heat at every door.</p><p>Residents in the Arnolds' 92-person senior complex are hoping for a positive prognosis for what is sure to be a long recovery.</p><p>“The whole park is devastated,” Silsby said. “Our little park is like a little town.”</p><p>Added Buffo: “This little community, how hard it has hit us.”</p>