Sound of explosion at Belblossom and Westhill, gardener injured, in east Los Gatos

by Mary Pope-Handy | Mar 6, 2012 | Belgatos, Belwood, Events, Surmont

Update: 

It appears that turpentine was on the ground and there was some speculation that a spark from the electric tools seems to have caused this terrible explosion and injury. That assertion was retracted at a community meeting about the Los Gatos explosion March 26th 2012. Please click the link to read the full update.

Yesterday at around 2pm, a large, explosive sound rocked the Belwood, Belgatos and Surmont areas of east Los Gatos.  The thundering noise sounded to me like a transformer blowing out – but worse (I was walking down Bacigalupi with my dog at the time).  Neighbors wondered what caused it: gas explosion, rifle, transformer, or what? Several of us apparently called police.

When I phoned in, I was told that the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Dept was investigating.  They thought that a tree trimmer had hit a power line but weren’t sure at that time.

About an hour later, I came through the area after seeing a post on the Facebook group page for Belwood area residents that the noise originated from something happening in the “class d area” (meaning Surmont/Belgatos). Whatever it was came from a front yard of a house at the corner of Belblossom and Westhill.   P, G & E crews were investigating. A police officer was taking a report.  And neighbors gathered to share what they knew, thought or experienced with the big boom of two o’clock.

A Belblossom home owner there told me that a gardener was doing something when the explosive sound occurred, that it put him in shock and that his ankle was broken.  I was very relieved that he was still alive, as was everyone else there.

At that time, it remained unclear what happened exactly.  P, G & E crews were still on scene, investigating.

Today I’m not seeing anything in the news about this, so wanted to share what I had heard (and seen) so far.  Wishing a very speedy and easy recovery to the person who was injured.  I hope that the P,G & E crews can figure out what happened so that it never happens again.