Name of Victim Burned in Fresno Explosion Released, Investigation Continues

We now know the name of the Fresno County public works employee who was badly burned during the gas line explosion at the Fresno County Sheriff’s Foundation gun range last Friday. Authorities say Ismael Arreazola was operating a tractor involved in the gas line rupture. The investigation is still on going and the big question that still remains is what exactly caused the explosion?

According to PG&E, the investigation is running smoothly and quickly. OfficialS say a part of the ruptured gas line was removed Monday and taken for forensic analysis.  CBS 47 also did some research and found a prior gas line explosion in the valley that have some similarities.

As crews work to figure out the cause of Friday’s fiery blast, Ismael Arreazola,  the Fresno County employee who bore the brunt of the blast, remains in critical condition at Community Regional Medical Center’s burn unit.

PG&E spokesperson Denny Boyles says, "We are hoping for a recovery for them.  It’s an unfortunate situation that I don’t think anybody wish had happened."

The gun range explosion is now sparking somewhat conflicting accounts. Early Monday, PG&E officials told us it’s confident that had a call to report digging been made, it could have put the proper warnings in place. However,  just hours later the Fresno County Sheriff’s Department confirmed there were no reports of digging or excavating taking place. They said instead Arreazola was using a tractor to push and spread soil.

Boyles says, "Obviously we weren’t there on Friday, so we really don’t know what was happening.  That’s why we will rely on investigators to tell us."

Sheriff’s officials also tell us Arreazola was traveling from east to west on the tractor, while PG&E officials say the gas line was running north to south. Boyles also says the underground line was bordered by two markers, that state there are gas lines below and which direction they are traveling.

Fresno County chief administrator John Navaratte says it’s too soon to make a comment on the incident.

Meanwhile, we found a gas line explosion occurred in Madera County back in 2003 on highway 99 near Avenue 18 1/2.  During that incident,  a man was allegedly operating a tractor when the gas line exploded; burning half of his body.

PG&E couldn’t confirm Tuesday whether the 2003 explosion and the one that happened last Friday involve the same gas line, although they did confirm that the gas line under the gun range extends into Merced running through Madera and Chowchilla.