FILIPINO FAMILY REBUILDS HOME, RETURNS TO DEVASTATED ...

By Henni Espinosa, ABS-CBN North America Bureau

May 15, 2012

SAN BRUNO, Calif - On the night of September 9, 2010, families in a neighborhood in San Bruno, California did not see it coming. A transmission pipeline ruptured, a deadly fire erupted? leaving eight people dead and 38 homes damaged.

The Bernardo family is among those who lost everything because of this tragedy. Teddy Bernardo?s children, 21-year old Matthew and eight-year old Isabel, were the only ones home when the blast happened, a few hundred feet from their back door.

Barefoot, Matthew carried his sister and escaped for their burning house. He said, ?I didn?t know if we were going to survive at all. I kind of snapped at that second, I got my sister and we left. We couldn?t stick around to see what would happen next.?

Eighteen months after the tragedy, the Bernardos have returned to the same site where their old house was burned to the ground, becoming the first family in the blast area to rebuild their destroyed home. After living in a hotel and an apartment, they came back to a new home in March.

Teddy said, ?The first night we were here, it was eerie. It was quiet. The neighborhood was empty.?

But now, people in their neighborhood are starting to come back. Another family has moved back since the Bernardo?s return. Three others are about to come home and 23 homes are being rebuilt.

Last night, in a ceremony, San Bruno Mayor Jim Ruane welcomed back residents in the once-devastated area.

Ruane said, ?It?s a wonderful feeling for everybody. We?ve been through so much here. People lost their lives. People were totally displaced. Some people are not coming back. It?s an emotional thing. But we see the positive.?

The Bernardos said they are considering filing a claim against the Pacific Gas and Electric, owner of the pipe that ruptured. But for now, they are focused on getting back on their feet again.

Daughter Isabel is still adjusting, still scared to sleep alone in her room. She said, ?I?m scared it could happen again.?

But even with bad memories, the Bernardos said they are ready to put the past behind them. Teddy concluded, ?We came out of it stronger.?

You may contact Henni Espinosa at henni_espinosa@abs-cbn.com for more information.

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