. >> cameraman jeff nichols captures the yellow-orange fireball. chunks of concrete and other debris into the air. >> you can see in the left corner of the screen that this panel of debris just kind of floats down from the sky and hits one gentleman in the back. >> nichols arrives at the scene 20 minutes before the blast, expecting to capture utility workers fixing the leak. >> as a news videographer, you've done these stories before. it's usually nothing much. you might smell a little bit of gas or propane kind of smell. doesn't ever really amount to anything. this, however, was a different time. >> nichols sets up his camera at what he thinks is a safe distance, until he realizes the utility workers are not actually sure where the leaking gas is coming from. >> there was a hesitation from everyone, just an unknowingness of what was happening, of where this gas was coming from, am i in a safe area. >> despite his uneasiness, nichols stays where he is and goes to work. >> i had a close-up shot of the two gentlemen walking out of the building and al