The victims belonged to two extended families camping at a site near the Pecos River when the pipeline exploded 500 feet away. Burning fuel rained down from the sky onto the victims, federal officials said. Some had been fishing along the river's banks, their lanterns set up to light their way, officials said. Others had been asleep. Officials said they would have had no chance to escape the flash of fire that caught them between the river and the exploded gas line.
Witnesses say the blast sent a ball of flames into the sky.
It looked devastating. Sanchez, one of the first firefighters on the scene, said he saw a scorched car. The heat from the explosion completely melted away the tires. The heat was so intense it turned sand into glass and part of a concrete bridge structure turned into powder. Answers New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson took a private tour of the area, searching for answers.