“This evening is not the time to talk about regulations or regulators, about rules or statistics,” San Bruno Mayor Jim Ruane said to the large crowd gathered in the Skyline quad. “This evening is our time to remember and celebrate the humanity of our community.”

The mood was somber on the anniversary of the San Bruno fire on September 9. A cold, dreary fog covered the campus, very different from that same night one year ago when the skies were blue except for a column of flame and black smoke emanating from the city of San Bruno. The sky that night had also been covered with streaks of red as planes flew overhead dumping retardant to try to stem the fire that claimed eight lives that night.

Lavonne Bullis, Greg Bullis, William Bullis, James Franco, Jacqueline Greig, Janessa Greig, Jessica Morales, Elizabeth Torres. These are the eight people who lost their lives to the explosion and resultant fire of the high-transmission gas line that exploded in the Crestmoor neighborhood. They weren’t the only ones affected by the fire: Some were injured, some lost their homes.

Joseph Ruigomez, a Skyline student, was not only injured in that fire, but lost his girlfriend, Jessica Morales, to the fire.

“Every day is a fight,” Ruigomez said. “You go to the hospital and come out with tons of other problems.” Ruigomez also said that he really misses his girlfriend, as evidenced by the fact that his injuries came from trying to rescue her from the fire that night.

The ceremony began with Brian Molver of the San Mateo County Office of Emergency Services walking into the quad through the fog playing “Amazing Grace” on the bagpipes at 6:00 p.m. He made his way past the front of the crowd and left the quad in the opposite direction, all the while playing the song as he seemingly vanished in the fog, the sound echoing off the buildings.

A bell was rung by different people eight times, once for each of the fallen. Ruigomez helped ring the bell for Morales when it was her turn.

“It was very good closure,” said Alexa Aguiar, a Skyline student and a close friend of Morales. “It was very heartwarming to see everyone who came to support the families.”

Clergy from across San Bruno of different faiths gave small speeches, making sure to be as sensitive as possible to everyone. As the speeches were made, people of all kinds lowered their heads, even the grounds and maintenance staff, who were standing in the back.

The event concluded with the release of doves, first one for each person being remembered, then a mass release of more doves. The doves were trained homing pigeons, so when released they all coalesced in one spot and flew off together, a rather fitting end to the whole event.

“It was light,” said Rene Morales, mother of Jessica Morales. “It was nice and a release.”

Additional information was provided by Estrella Benavides.