Transcripts For KTVU Second Look 20141013 : vimarsana.com

In history. The people who lived through would never forget. The place is rocking so much you felt like you were in a rubber room. Reporter the loma prieta earthquake. Straight ahead. Hello everyone im Frank Somerville and welcome to a second look. This march marks 28 years since one of the most catastrophic events in history the loma prieta quake. Much of the attention was already focused on the bay area because of the world series. As the third game of the series was just about to begin an earthquake measuring in magnitude 7. 1 hit the bay area. It knocked down freeways, collapsed buildings and in San Francisco alone it touched off at least 27 fires. The quake also killed 67 people, injured 3,757 others and left more than 12,000 homeless. In this edition of a second look we continue our look back at the earthquake which we began last sunday. Tonight the focus is on San Francisco. Ktvus George Watson was at candle stick park waiting for the game to begin. Reporter october 17, 1989 amidst the early dusk and setting sun, amidst the crowd, the ground beneath the bay area slipped and this fragile piece of effort crumbled once again. The ground started moving. I took a step and wound up 3 feet over there. And took another step and wound up three feet over there. I thought, hey, i think ill stand here for a while. I heard screaming get out of the locker room its an earthquake. You could not run in a Straight Line to the door. The place was rocking so much you felt you were in a rubber room. The dust started coming out of the vents. I thought the stadium was coming down. It sounded like the german army was marching over the top of the stadium. Just a thumping. You thought it was just people Walking Around or dancing or something. Then when it hit there was no question. You see the concrete shimmering over your head you know what is happening. Come on, lets go. I didnt know where i was for five second. I thought a migraine or hit but it was an earthquake. I was in section 53 waiting for the game to come on. All of a sudden we hear an earthquake. Pretty soon the stairs started falling apart. It was pretty bizerk. Reporter a 7. 1 earthquake grabbed a chunk of california at 5 04 in the evening and shook it like a dog with a bone. That wasnt the even so called big one. But people died in that earthquake and it ate up billions of the dollars of things we used to take for grant as every day parts of our lives. The bay bridge had opened in San Francisco but in this time of terror, in the hour of the quake even this bastion of strength came down. I saw the bridge actually collapse. It actually came down and hit the deck that i was on and created a crater. I had to use all my force and all my energy to stop this big bus from going into this ditch. We just started shaking. And next thing i know i heard boom. I looked out and the cars were like this and i just got off the bus and helped pull people out of the cars. 911 emergency. Have you gotten word about the bay bridge. What about the bay bridge whats done with it . The upper deck appears to have collapsed in the earthquake. Hold on a second. Jesus christ, we have to the upper deck the embarcadero, we have thousands of thousands of people on the streets. What do you want us, you have advice to do with them. Can we have a 200 or 300 unit come up on the air and let us know what were supposed to do with these thousands of people milling about on market street. We were on the sidewalk walking and the bank of i mean the wells fargo sign hit. I thought somebody was working on the building. How do we get home . How do we get out of here . Please get away from these buildings. Somebody definitely died over there. This one too. Where do you work . Neiman marcus on the fourth floor. Theres trash everywhere. Its really frightening. I can only describe the situation here as nightmareish. The part of the city i was in all day has been completely dark. People are wandering the streets aimlessly. Its a sick feeling to be in the city. I can only advise people to not come here under any circumstances. Still to come on a second look looks like part of an entire block of the city is burning. Across the street other buildings have collapsed. Fire engulfs blocks in the Marina District and homes collapse. Rescuers make heroic efforts inside those buildings. That has around 50 fewer co2 emissions than coal. And why with our partner in brazil, we are producing a biofuel made from renewable sugarcane to fuel cars. Lets broaden the Worlds Energy mix, lets go. Welcome back to a second look. Although San Franciscos marina is approximately 60 miles, it still suffered one of the biggest damage. Thats because its built on sandy ground. And it was the makings of a fiery disaster. Bob mackenzie reports, it was also the setting for tragedy and heroic valor. Oh my god were having an earthquake. Wait a minute. Hold on, hold on. We need an ambulance. Hold on, stay on the line. As we came over the crest of the hill. You could see the columns of smoke from the fires going on in the marina and one huge column of smoke like a Mushroom Cloud from the building that was turned into a fifth alarm. General alarm. Just looking at the marina from the top of the hill i knew that we were looking at something i had never seen before. Reporter these were images of the marina americans saw on their televisions. These were scenes of devastation that had us wondering how anyone had lived through such a a catastrophe. I dont think i can take much more. Maam, i know, hang in there. The power is out. Just hang in there okay. Everybody else is scared too, but we just dont have the time to stay on the line. Do this, make sure your lights out. If you know where to turn off the gas in your house. Go turn that off. Make sure you have some fresh water for yourself, okay. Shook like it was a piece of straw. It threw me off the chair. It was just unbelievable. No medical or any type of medicine for two days. My whole house is full of i think its a good idea because here comes another one. If there was an aftershock the building would collapse then you have two victims. I heard a i did hear somebody in there and i would like to take a shot at it. I just knew that he would be back. Regardless of what happened. We had to lift her up. Get her up on the stretcher and get her back into the area. Hes dragging back back ward. I was on my stomach pushing forward. It wasnt time to stop. Reposition or anything. At that time we were just making a run for it. As they handed the board out. People were clapping and whispering and cheering and yelling. It was a good feeling. Indeed some havent been through it. A young woman and her baby boy were trap in the wreckage. By the time the rescue workers reached her, those who were able to get home later that evening, many found they had lost everything they owned but they were alive. So many years, everything i have is right under that rubble. But, you have to take another step and thank god that im living thats the thing. I made it. My wife has a sense of humor she said well weve lost everything. But we saved our lives. In the first few days apartment dwellers risk injury to pick up the rubble looking for their belongings. Youre willing to take a risk to get them back. He is. Im staying on this side of the building. People lived without stoves, without gas heat in some cases without water. Whats your situation . Were staying in our house. No electricity, no water since the earthquake. How are you managing . Improvising. The red cross has been very, very helpful. Theyve given us water. We have camp stoves so were taken care of. Reporter while they worked to put their lives back together they helped others. If there was a Silver Lining it was a sense of community. And the decor that developed over those first few weeks. Marina people threw a party for themselves to say hey were still here, we pulled through. And later there was a moment of remembering for those who hadn t pulled through. It made me reassess things. That theres things in life you cant count on that you thought you could. I dont think i will ever take water, gas, and electricity for granted again. I think i will have a sense that theres an urgency about living that wasnt there before. When we come back on a second look. I guess were just going to have to go. Left homes, some san franciscans get only minutes to pack up and move out of their homes. I opened the door and said, what is this. As the debate wears on about what to do about the central freeway. A 20foot ton piece of concrete smashes right into a restaurant patio. A demolition crew takes down a San Francisco Residential Hotel that was badly damaged in the quake as though who live there move on. The loma prieta earthquake seeks 3 million in damages. Three quarters of the units lost in San Francisco were homes for low income renters. Rita williams was there three days after the quake when those who lived in one Residential Hotel stood in line to gather up their belongings and leave their home for good. Over on seventh street just below market, tenants of a condemned building were about to go in for the First Time Since the quake. These are people who didnt have much to begin with, now they have even less. This is my bankroll right there. Thats my bankroll. Reporter 82yearold retired seaman Elian Gonzalez had to hang on to the door way to stop his own shaking. We were fortunate because we had a few bucks. But some of these people, i dont know they are just on a fixed income. Tars its going to be a problem for many of them. Reporter finally Tom Burchfield came to enter the apartment he evacuated three days ago. He still had on the same clothes he had on then. Some shirts. I never meant to pick up like this. Reporter burchfield is a veteran from the korean war now on military disability. Trying to pack up a lifetime of belongings in 10 minutes. I cant were just going to have to go. I have to get a good collection. Random peanut butter. My coffee pot, i guess i can get away with that at the hotel. Reporter the manager of this Apartment Building says hes called the city for help and for help for these low income residents. But he says he gets all the attention seems to be on the affluent Marina District. But tenant burc hfield didnt complain. He was from a generation that didnt complain. It was something to see a man so proud gather up his belongings. With that he closed the door on the home hes had for the past five years. How much have you got . I have 10, 11, thats enough. And, well, see you guys when i see you. Whats so hard to accept is that there are now hundreds of Tom Burchfields earthquake victims in this city. The powerful earthquake ripped apart freeways, roads and bridges. In all, damage to the Transportation System was estimated at 1. 8 billion. The collapse of a section of the freeway in oakland was the most deadly. Four lives were lost there. 80 of the 150 bridges also received damage. And initially caltrans thought it might be possible to repair them. In fact, for years after the quake there were political struggles over whether they should be repaired or demolished. In the midst of all that debate. Hayes valley and Business Owners found themselves not only dealing with closed off streets but with falling chunks of concrete. I opened the door and i said, what is this . Reporter this was in fact, a 30foot piece of concrete from the central freeway that tpael right on to the patio of a jamaican restaurant that fell right on to the patio of a jamaican restaurant. Demolition was under way on both of freeways. When we back on when we come back on a second look. Artists and entertainers join together to help the victims oh chris, did you remember to pay the dog sitter . Oh, i knew i forgot something. Ill just do it now. Well, were boarding. No, ill use citi mobile. It takes two seconds, better safe than sorry, right . Yeah, who knows if well even get service on the island . What no service . Seriously . You guys might actually have to talk. To each other . We do it all the time. I like it. Should we . No. Bank from almost anywhere with the citi mobile app. To learn more, visit citi. Com easierbanking for many who lived through loma prieta the weeks followed were one of the longest of their lives. Five days later some were able to take a deep breath and enjoy a free concert in the park. The San Francisco symphony and opera chorus offered a Program Including bethovens ninth symphony. Bob hope joinedded a number of musicians in a televised event to raise money for earthquake relief. The benefit was held in three separate cities and included a performance by crosby stills and nash. The performers all donated their time. Bob hope was 86 at the time and joked that it was hard to leave his golf game for the event. I wanted to do something ever since it happened. I was thinking about it would be nice to help. When he called me, i was kind of happy that i had this time open and i could get up here. You think these people know who you are . I dont think so. I think theyre just happy to see an older fellow. Televised live, the effort raised more than 1 million. Rock promoter bill graham matched that with 1 million of his own money. After the earthquake engineers and bridge workers went to work immediately to try to fix the bay bridge. It took them a month to reopen it to traffic. Ktvus gary call filed this report in late october of 1989. Even two weeks later this picture is still hard to believe. A 50foot chunk of the bay bridge gone. Both decks, peer over the side its there and youre looking at the bay. Youre going to fix this drawbridge. Yeah it takes some time. Makes you nervous . The first time. Then i found out how it was anchored and i was okay. Reporter this morning a group of workers were over the cross frame of the bay bridge. On the other side of the bridge beyond the gap, caltrans crews were moving around big steel beams. Those beams are being cut and trimmed and painted and will be layed across the 50foot gap. The steel i beams will be the foundation of the rebuilt roadway. What goes on top of them is the road. 8,000pound concrete slabs like this one being poured day and night in napa. The hours these guys are working getting out of here at 10 00 at night and showing up at 8 00 is the adrenaline of the reconstruction of a bridge that is getting the job done. Something you will always remember. Always. The concrete must cure for a week. Caltrans hopes to start laying the pieces november 7. Of course before any of that can be done the bridge must first be realigned. When the top deck fell the San Francisco and east bay sides pulled away from each other about 5inches. And another inch and a half to the side. Hydraulic jacks pulled the side back last night. It was no sure thing the bridge could have snapped. News cameras were prohibited on the bridge during the operation. When the bay area celebrated its reopening it did so with a famous voice singing a famous song. Thank you very much. [i left my heart, in San Francisco] and thats it for this w eeks second look. Im Frank Somerville. Well see you again next week. 46 will save lives. It will save money too. Im bob pack, and im fighting for prop 46 because i lost my two children to preventable medical errors and i dont want anyone else to lose theirs. The three provisions in 46 will reduce medical errors and protect patients. Save money and save lives. Yes on 46. train horn honking prague, czechrepublic is a muststop for travelers the world over. We went by overnight train. The whole crew crammed into one small cabin. Yeah, it was tight, but it was cheap, and im paying, so there you go. This train may not have been the best for sleep, but with a sight like prague as a wakeup call, it was totally worth it. The castle was incredible. Ive never seen anything like it. I know im not always the most eloquent wordsmith, but mere words cant possibly do prague justice, anyway. Fine, sir, your tram has arrived. When i travel, i like to dig below the surface. Were going deep. Lets take the road less traveled and find the real and raw side of prague