Students return to class after blast at Vallejo High School

VALLEJO, Calif. (KGO) -- Fire officials gave the green light for students to return to class after a blast at Vallejo High School that left two district maintenance employees injured.

The blast happened around 8:20 a.m. when the maintenance employees tried to turn on the heater. Officials say the gas had been turned off since the August, 6.0 earthquake in Napa, so they could make repairs. The workers turned the gas on Thursday night without any problems. Friday morning, they turned on the school's heaters and after it was ignited, it blew.

Vallejo High officials are blaming the explosion on the Napa earthquake.

Mel Jordan, the assistant superintendent, said the two injured employees were taken to the hospital. One employee seriously injured his hands and suffered burns. The second employee appears to be physically fine.

No students were injured. Also, no students were near the blast, but they heard it and quickly notified their parents, who rushed to the school.

"I was scared, you know, my son was running to find out what happened to let me know," said Lilo Filivaa, a mother of two Vallejo High students.

The students were evacuated to the bleachers and other outdoor areas because there was no electricity.

PG&E spokeswoman Brittany McKannay said the Vallejo Fire Department called PG&E between 8 and 8:30 a.m. to shut off the gas line to the school.

Bay City News contributed to this story.