Firefighters work at the scene of an explosion on E. Lewelling Blvd. in Hayward, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025.
Noah Berger/For the S.F. Chronicle
A firefighter works at the scene of an explosion on E. Lewelling Blvd. in Hayward, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025.
Noah Berger/For the S.F. Chronicle
Firefighters work at the scene of an explosion on E. Lewelling Blvd. in Hayward, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025.
Noah Berger/For the S.F. Chronicle
Crews from the Alameda County Fire Department and Pacific Gas & Electric Co. at the site of an explosion in Hayward. A construction crew hit a gas line, officials said, causing an explosion and subsequent fire that injured at least six people.
Kate Talerico/S.F. Chronicle
The home at 867 E Lewelling Blvd in Hayward, Calif. which would be the scene of an explosion when a construction crew struck a gas line on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025.
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Six people were injured and three buildings were destroyed in a residential explosion and fire Thursday morning near Hayward in Alameda County, which happened hours after a construction crew hit an underground gas line, according to East Bay officials and Pacific Gas & Electric Co.
The Alameda County Fire Department responded around 9:38 a.m. to reports of an explosion and house on fire on the 800 block of East Lewelling Boulevard, located just south of Interstate 238 and north of Hayward, said Deputy Chief Ryan Nishimoto.
Six people were transported to local hospitals, including some construction workers on the scene. Three people were taken to the hospital in “bad shape,” and two others reported minor injuries, fire officials said. Two people authorities said had been unaccounted for were found safe elsewhere.
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A spokesperson for PG&E said the company was notified at 7:35 a.m. that a construction crew damaged an underground gas line while digging at the property on Lewelling. PG&E immediately dispatched crews to the scene, according to the company, and stopped the flow of gas at 9:25 a.m.
The explosion occurred roughly 10 minutes later, according to PG&E.
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“Those on site, including PG&E Crews worked with first responders on site to make the area safe,” the company said.
Multiple agencies have launched investigations into Thursday’s explosion, including CAL/OSHA and the National Transportation Safety Board.
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Firefighters work at the scene of an explosion on E. Lewelling Blvd. in Hayward, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025.
Noah Berger/For the S.F. Chronicle
The property that exploded was at 867 E. Lewelling Blvd., in an unincorporated Alameda County community called Ashland. Zillow lists the property as a 3,957-square foot single family home with four bedrooms and two baths built in 1950 and valued at more than $1 million. The neighborhood includes homes and small commercial buildings, including a State Farm Insurance and a cannabis store and a real estate brokerage.
Michelle Woods, who lives across the street from the site of the explosion, was unloading groceries around 9:30 when she heard a “giant boom,” she said.
“Stuff was flying in the air. Everyone started running out of their homes, and then we saw the flames erupt,” she said.
Woods said county construction crews had been working on the street for around a year, and were working at the time of the explosion. She said she watched emergency workers pull construction workers from the area following the explosion.
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Nishimoto said it was a three-alarm fire, with about 75 firefighters on scene. Firefighters arrived to find a badly burned person on the street, Hurd said. Crews were working to stamp out the last remnants of the fire around noon, before completing a search of the two properties impacted by the incident.
Emergency responders gather at the scene of an explosion on E. Lewelling Blvd. in Hayward, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025.
Noah Berger/For the S.F. Chronicle
Three buildings, including two residences and a workshop, suffered significant damage, he said.
Around of 2:30 p.m., a number of firefighters and PG&E workers remained at the scene, their boots crunching shards of glass from blown out windows. A passerby walking on the sidewalk tripped over a splintered beam barbed with nails that apparently flew across the street.
The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office evacuated residents from nearby properties, said public information officer Sgt. Roberto Morales.
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“We’re continuously working together to try to make sure that everyone is safe,” he said.
Ahead of the explosion, Christian Maldonado and his wife Brittany were at home when they noticed a PG&E worker appear at the side of their house, unannounced. When Brittany went outside, the worker said they were turning off the gas at nearby homes. About an hour later, they heard the boom.
“My first thought was, ‘Chain reaction,’” said Christian, adding that he and his family immediately left the house and went outside. “If they hadn’t shut off our gas, I don’t know what could have happened.”
Christian said that the building across the street had been a small apartment building with three different units. He said he saw fire crews pull a man out of the building.
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“He had all of his clothes burned to him,” Maldonado said. “You could see his skin where his shirt had been.”
Around 4 p.m., Christian and his son were seated on lawn furniture at a neighbor’s driveway, waiting for crews to give the all clear to let them back inside.