San Francisco Earthquake
Submitted By: Daniel Ornon Root IV
Ah! Mid October. The fall classic. And after 27 years of patiently waiting, my team the San
Francisco Giants, have finally made it to the World Series. My employer has given me tickets to
Game Number Four of the Bay Bridge Classic, which will be played tomorrow, 18 October 1989
in Candle Stick Park, just a couple miles to the north. Choice Seats, directly behind third base. I
just can't wait, but today my boss and the office staff gets to go. So, being one of the outside
salesmen, I am elected to work at our office in San Francisco, located on Army Street by the bay.
This is in the China Basin area half way between downtown San Francisco and Candle Stick Park.
Luckily the office is not terribly busy. Must be that the World Series is in town. I'm planning
on 4:45pm to go home and watch the Giants win game 3 on TV. Paul, our dispatcher comes in
my temporary office and asks me to go with him to O'Sheas, which is the Giants Fan's bar in the
city. Sounds good, I'll Call my wife at 5:00 and let her know.
It's 5:00 and time to go. Called Vickie (my wife) to let her know of our plans. It's a hot
afternoon in Fairfield, 95 degrees and 80 degrees in the city. As I'm telling Vickie what time I'll
be home, it started.
Not the game. At first it started soft, which I've felt a dozen times before, and I tell Vickie
that we are having a small trembler. Two seconds later the ground started to rock and roll like
nothing I have ever felt before. The phone went dead. I ran out of the office to our parking lot.
Electrical poles out front are swaying 4 to 5 feet each way. I look over to my car for protection.
No way. It is bouncing around like a toy. Hiway 280 (an elevated freeway) which is less than
100 yards from our office is swaying like it is made from rubber.
It seemed like it lasted for minutes, although it was only 15 seconds. My heart is racing, I
want to leave to check on my family. Joe Comes running out of the warehouse with his 5 inch
TV. WOW! A bridge has collapsed. Looks like the Vallejo Bridge over the Carquinez Straits...
my route home. Now I want to go home even more.
I make sure everything is intact at our warehouse, which it isn't. Units of sheetrock and
roofing are scattered all over the floor. Nothing I can do, I want to check on my family.
Off I go. Under Interstate 280 and on to I-101, then north to I-80 which will take me over
the Bay Bridge. At the interchange of I-101 and I-80 the traffic is stopped solid, no movement.
The Bay Bridge must have collapsed also. Now I'm scared beyond anything I have ever felt. The
Golden Gate Bridge - is it still standing? I take I-101 north heading for the Golden Gate. This
route takes you through San Francisco on city streets. I'm only 5 miles from the bridge and it
shouldn't take long. I have only driven 2 miles at this point and feel like I will be home in less
than an hour.
No way - the fifteen minute drive through San Francisco took 2 hours. After shocks are
coming about every ten minutes. I'm stuck under an overpass for thirty minutes, feeling every
after shock.... I want to get out of the car and run... anything to get out from under the overpass.
The Emergency Broadcast System is now on the radio with that high pitch sound. Finally....
a voice is on the air... asking all doctors, nurses, police, firemen and paramedics to go to Oakland
now!!!! I wonder what happened. A hotel fire, or even a collapsed building. Maybe many???
Strange that people walking on the streets are so calm. I feel like I am going to
Hyperventilate. I want to get home. How are my wife and kids. My wife and three kids, the
youngest less than two months old. The panic is beginning to set in. I finally reach the Marina
District, very smokey. I look to the right at the next light (which of course doesn't work) and see
this huge fire. I have my windows closed with the air conditioner on, but I feel the intense heat
from the fire. Now I am scared to the maximum.
Finally I reach freedom, the Golden Gate Bridge. It is still intact. Traffic is flowing at 65
MPH. Everyone wants to get out of San Francisco. I feel some relief, but not much. I pull over
at Novato to call my wife, to see how she is and to let her know I am alright. The phones are
dead. Panic is now approaching again. The next 45 miles of travel is smooth, but it seemed like it
took hours. My heart has not slowed down at all.
I finally reached Vallejo and as I reach the top of Hunters Hill just outside of Vallejo, I look
back towards San Francisco. Total darkness except a bright red and orange glow. The fire... is it
still spreading? Over Hunters Hill and smooth sailing the next ten miles to Fairfield.
Finally home - 8:15pm. It took 3 hours and 11 minutes to drive the longest 47 miles of my
life. 47 miles of hell.
My family is OK. We hug and kiss. Thank GOD.
In watching the continuous news of the earthquake on TV, I can now see what happened to
the Cypress Structure in Oakland. Terrifying. I drive on that Freeway twice a week. I could
have been on it that day if it hadn't been for the World Series.
My boss's wife calls. Her husband is at the game. He's OK and returns home the next day. I
did not go back to our office for 9 weeks. Too scared to go to the city. Even now, I feel a little
nervous driving to San Francisco and I probably will always feel that way.
I gave my World Series Tickets away. Hopefully the Giants won't wait for another 27 years
to make it to the Fall Classic.
Ah! Mid October................
And that was my "Brush With History".
And what was your "Brush With History". You are all encouraged to submit your "Brush
With History" for publishing on this Web Site. Don't hesitate, now is the time to pass on to
others little a time capsules of your life.
Please place in the Subject Line:
WEBPAGE-Brush With History
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