San Bruno, California (CNN) -- The number of people missing has grown to six in a massive gas line fire that decimated part of a California neighborhood, San Bruno Police Chief Neil Telford said.
The official death toll from the blaze stands at four, according to a statement released by the city of San Bruno late Saturday.
The fire started Thursday after a gas transmission line ruptured in the suburban San Francisco town. The blaze destroyed 37 homes and damaged eight, Matthew Bettenhausen, California Emergency Management Agency secretary, has said. Cars also melted from the blaze.
On Saturday, California Sen. Barbara Boxer demanded answers about why the gas transmission line ruptured.
Accompanied by state and federal officials, Boxer toured blocks of the charred neighborhood in that now looks like a war zone.
"Many questions must be answered by all of us whose job it is to protect our people," Boxer said. "What was the cause of this blast of course, first and foremost? Were there reports that there were odors escaping from the pipeline? If there were those reports, what actions took place in response to those complaints?"
Residents packed a town hall meeting Saturday seeking answers from public officials about when they can go home as well as rebuilding and compensation issues.
Maura Guerrero, who lost her home, said she smelled gas coming out of her drain about four months ago and called Pacific Gas and Electric. But once the smell went away, she thought nothing of it.
"I didn't know there was a transfer station under the ground," Guerrero said. "If I had known, maybe it would have clicked".
Some area residents have alleged that there was a smell in the neighborhood at least a week before the blast.
CNN
