At least 50 people were injured and the blast left a giant crater and demolished dozens of homes on Thursday evening.
At a packed town hall meeting inside a church officials tried to console and inform the homeless victims of the massive and deadly gas explosion.
"There are reports circulating that there may be additional fatalities. What we can tell you at this time is that search and investigation process is continuing," San Bruno City Manager Connie Jackson said.
They are still trying to determine what caused the blast.
"We don't know what made that pipeline rupture," Geisha Williams of Pacific Gas & Electric said.
And what about the safety of similar gas lines that criss-cross towns across America?
"When you realize that some of this pipe was laid in 1948, others in the 50s, it raises a lot of questions," Sen. Barbara Boxer said.
Questions that remain unanswered while search dogs are still roaming a devastated neighborhood for any missing people.
"It's really hard to put into words the way you feel when you see a beautiful neighborhood and a whole section of it that just almost disappeared, and the remnants of the cars melted in the driveways."
So far, only a few residents received permission to go back for a few minutes to get vital supplies, like medicine. That will soon change.
"It is our expectation that the mass majority of homes will be accessible as of tomorrow."
No word yet when destroyed homes will be rebuilt.
