Feinstein's visit to San Bruno blast site angers some residents

While Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) toured the natural-gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno around noon, some evacuated residents who had been told to report to their neighborhood at 11:30 a.m. Sunday were livid that the senator's visit seemed to be delaying their return.

"Tell her the residents want to get in and for her to get out," said one man who would not give his name. He said he was told to report to Glenview Drive and San Bruno Avenue at 11:30 a.m.

San Bruno City Councilman Ken Ibarra shared the frustration as he spoke to residents being turned away. "It's supposed to be a well-laid plan," he said. "People have been anxious for days now, and today will be a busy day. But there will be problems."

About 12:15 p.m., police started letting cars with green tags on the windshields through one at a time, accompanied by blue Pacific Gas & Electric Co. work trucks, to turn their gas back on.

One woman wiped tears from her face as she looked down the hill and viewed the destruction while a police officer embraced her.

A man with gauze bandages on his head and neck surveyed the area from a vantage point on a sidewalk above and asked if he could go see his burned-down home. 

Councilman Ibarra told him no -- only people with intact homes would be able to return Sunday.

"It doesn't matter, it's all gone," the man said before turning around.
 
Dozens of PG&E workers with clipboards and wearing white construction hats and orange vests also walked down into the bowl-shaped neighborhood.

-- Tony Barboza in San Bruno, Calif.

Comments

[Dan]

Feinstein was probably there with a big smile just looking for a photo-op.
Way to go Diane. Make the little people wait while you gawk at their opened and destroyed lives.

[West Valley Dave]

Feinstein is like every other democrat these days. Americans have had it with "the world needs to stop for me" attitude. These poor people have a right to return to their properties and just because an elected official who could care less about them, who cares more about the "look at me, I'm doing something" photo op decides to show up shouldn't keep them from going home. I'm sick and tired of politicians and their sense of entitlement over the "little people".

[BeHuman]

It she didn't go she'd get criticized by these same people who use this opportunity to make political statements. She did the proper thing, and it sounds like a perception anyway and not reality that her visit caused an dealy, as the reporter writes "seemed to be delyaing thier return."

[ace_3000_us]

Feinstein is like every other POLITICIAN these days. Americans have had it with "the world needs to stop for me" attitude.

fixed that for you West Valley Dave

[bobby99]

Maybe Feinstein and hubbie Blum can donate a billion or 2 to help residents. After all she steered no bid contracts to his companies during Iraq war-think war profiteering. Right Diane??

[bobby99]

Maybe Feinstein and hubbie Blum can donate a billion or 2 to help residents. After all she steered no bid contracts to his companies during Iraq war-think war profiteering. Right Diane??

[bobby99]

Maybe Feinstein and hubbie Blum could donate a billion or2 to help out. After all when she was chairperson of military appropriations she steered no-bid contracts to hubbies companies - Think war profitteering.

[st george]

By no means do I mean to disrespect the families of San Bruno who have not only lost lives, property, animals, a lifetime of belongings-but do you remember how many politicans went to Louisiana for the 13 people who blew on the oil rig? Nada, politics as usual-pick and choose which voters are more or less important. Why not a fly over for Feinstein, even Boxer was pathetic, stammering, out of place like she had to show some compassion. I see November from my house-how about you!

[Theodore]

When did Americans get to be so mean-spirited? Accusing a good Senator of grand-standing for photo op purposes is carping and not worth to be said or worth to be read. Look in the mirror and then tell yourself if you can like what you see.

[Thomas Coleman]

Maybe Cali's Senior Senator, who already has ample blood on her hands from her support of the American/Iraq War Crime, was scoping out properties that could be quickly foreclosed on and flipped for a tidy profit by various corporate real estate interests, or investigating the possibility of marijuana use or "trafficking" in the area, as she is firmly opposed to decriminalizing the infamous reefer in the Golden State--better to arrest users and send them off to jail where those "criminals" belong. Heavy duty security is no doubt necessary for someone of her position of high prestige, wealth and visibility, in order to restrict access by anyone who might have a discouraging word or pointed question for the Distinguished Senior Senator and her "positions" on Important Issues of the Day.

[mac691]

Yeah, she'll go to San Bruno for a photo op, but won't meet with her constituents for a town hall. Another Dem crook who has made millions and millions in war profiteering and other millions off the backs of the taxpayers, all the time acting as tho she is special. I will never forget her judiciary performance where she voted against a judge because he was too Catholic. What an evil embarassment.

[gcc22]

If it were Obama overseeing this disaster, he'd shut down PG&E until he finds out what happened.

[R Chapman]

Gee, I wasn't aware that Diane was running so early? Ms. Feinstein should leave things well enough alone and go back to doing what she and Ms. Boxer do so well which is nothing good for America. Tax cuts for all Americans, one term for Obama.

[Sheila OConnor]

Nice to see there were some heroes in the San Bruno fire and explosion. I wrote about them here: www.examiner.com/sf-in-san-francisco/san-bruno-heroes-saved-elderly-gas-leak-likely-photos-video