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Gas Leak During Berkeley House Fire Cause Explosions

BERKELEY (KCBS) - An explosive fire gutted a two-story duplex in North Berkeley overnight Thursday.

An overhead power line snapped and there were several small explosions as fire crews arrived at a burning home on the 1500 block Dwight Way near Sacramento Street around 1 a.m.

Battalion Chief Bill Kehoe with the Berkeley Fire Department said a low-pressure gas line caught fire as firefighters moved into position.

"The meters exploded upon our arrival," he said.

KCBS' Anna Duckworth Reports:

The four men who lived in the house had already gotten out safely on their own, and the American Red Cross was providing temporary housing, Kehoe said.

The gas leak created a six-foot ball of fire, which he said actually helped firefighters because it showed them where the leak was.

Firefighters were able to find the gas shutoff valve, which was hidden under some debris, Kehoe said.

Firefighters shut down the gas meters and quickly capped the leak.

Pacific Gas and Electric dispatched a crew to remove the downed power line.

It took two hours to bring the fire under control but firefighters were still at the scene as of 6:30 a.m.

Kehoe said the fire appears to have started outside the two-story house, but cautioned that the cause remains under investigation.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services may have contributed to this report.)

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