2 hurt when Bay Area apartment explodes

WALNUT CREEK — Fire crews responded to reports of an explosion and fire Friday at a San Francisco Bay Area apartment complex that left two people critically burned, a fire captain said.

Contra Costa Fire Capt. Kent Kirby said fire crews were called to the four-unit complex in Walnut Creek around 10 a.m. and had the blaze mostly extinguished within an hour, but not before part of the building collapsed.

Lori Meyers, a witness who works in an office building about a quarter mile away, said she felt a jolt.

"A bunch of people thought it was an earthquake, but it was a harder and faster hit than that," she said. "To me, it felt like a car hit the building."

Bob Grossman, who lives nearby, said he arrived at the scene to find flames 20 to 30 feet in the air.

"The blast was incredible," he told KNTV. "I mean it shook our windows, knocked over a little furniture. It was an incredible impact."

The two burn victims were airlifted to a hospital.

Crews were investigating what started the fire and trying to confirm whether there had been an explosion.

"It's still an unfolding incident, but it's a very unstable building right now," he said.

Part of the building's top floor was missing, and debris was strewn all around.

Crews turned off gas and electric service to the torched apartment complex and were standing by in case power to other properties had to be shut off, Nicole Liebelt, a Pacific Gas & Electric Co. spokeswoman, said.