EARTHQUAKE: DISASTER BEFORE DAWN : Wholesale Devastation Rips Apart Northridge : Epicenter: Suburban community becomes a scene of fatalities and miracle rescues--images seen by the nation and much of world.

Portions of their mall collapsed. The roof on their university’s library caved in. Smoke billowed from science buildings and city streets as residents took to their roofs with hoses to fight back flames--at least the lucky ones did.

This was suburban Northridge, the epicenter of Monday’s earthquake, the scene of more than half the fatalities, several miracle rescues and, in general, wholesale devastation.

Nowhere was the toll more evident than at the Northridge Meadows apartments, where a three-story complex lurched six feet to one side before collapsing into its first floor. At least 15 people died and many others were trapped for hours in scenes broadcast round the world.

But the disaster also wreaked havoc at Cal State Northridge, the Northridge Fashion Center and countless single family streets that make up the foundation of this prototypal bedroom suburb of 65,000.

“It used to be good here. I think it’s still going to be good,” said resident Joseph Momjin, an inspector for Continental Airlines. “But let’s wait and see if we’re done.”

In a day of repeated aftershocks, he would conclude: “We’re not done yet.”

Indeed, at 28,000-student CSUN, fires erupted in chemical-laden science buildings, a four-level parking garage collapsed and chunks of the library roof fell off.

A damage estimate was not expected until today, but the library is a prized facility, housing a $2-million robotic retrieval system--dubbed Leviathan II--for its collection, earning billing as the world’s first fully automated library.

No dollar estimates could be placed on the fear emanating from the sprawling campus as black smoke rose from multiple blazes in three science buildings, where hazardous and low-level radioactive materials are stored. The blazes were spread by 30 to 40 explosions that blew out lab windows.

University officials sealed off the area temporarily, fearful that hazardous materials might be released into the air. But in one of the few pieces of good news, fire officials managed to contain the flames before they reached the radioactive substances.

A load of sulfuric acid spilled, however, when the quake jolted four locomotives and 24 cars of a freight train off the tracks south of the Northridge Fashion Center, prompting an emergency cleanup effort.

On the streets of Northridge, an oil line exploded and the resulting fire claimed rows of parked cars. Later, steam billowed from the pavement alongside the burned hulks of the vehicles.

As residents of the primarily middle-class professional community tried to calm their jittery nerves, helicopters flew overhead, gawkers armed with video cameras flooded the streets and blaring fire engines streamed past.

While the nation, and much of the world, received a collage of images from around the community, few here could see much past their block--much less the televised images of scientists at Caltech describing their home as the epicenter of what many called the Northridge quake.

“The film has been showing all over the nation. But we haven’t seen it. We have no television, no electricity, no water,” said nine-year resident Bruce Andrew, a scout for baseball’s Colorado Rockies.

“This will be a zoo around here for quite a while.”

Some of his neighbors had no place to sleep.

At the corner of Andrea Circle and Lindley Avenue, three longtime residents of the Northridge Townhome Estates sat in lawn chairs at the curb, staring at the smoldering wood, pipes and other debris that used to be their homes.

Seventeen townhomes caught fire early Monday, apparently after a gas line burst. In less than an hour, the entire block was engulfed as a shortage of water severely hampered firefighters’ efforts.

“If we had water in the hydrants, we could have made a better stand,” Fire Capt. Don Sawyer said. “Between the shortage of water and the wood shake roofs, it was like trying to swim against a waterfall.”

Marian Bogrow and her husband, Milt, said they had lived in the townhome development since it was built 16 years ago--but weren’t planning to move back even if it is rebuilt.

“I think it’s time to move on,” she said with a sigh.

More fortunate Northridge residents sought to prepare for the uncertain immediate future.

At a Ralphs supermarket at the corner of Reseda Boulevard and Devonshire Street, lines formed for $2 containers of water. At a nearby Lucky, supermarket workers gave away water and batteries until they ran out of stock by mid-morning.

Further shaken by a continuing series of aftershocks, many residents brought their remaining glassware, ceramics and other breakable valuables onto their lawns, giving the community the appearance of a massive yard sale.

At the Fashion Center mall, a popular landmark noted for its crowded corridors and tony department stores, the roof of Bullock’s collapsed and its distinctive geometric facade almost slipped completely off.

The strongest drama at the center occurred as firefighters braved aftershocks that rocked a collapsed parking structure to rescue a maintenance worker who had been buried in his street sweeper for more than seven hours under more than 20 tons of concrete.

“He was in a lot of pain and he kept saying ‘Come down and pray with me, come down and pray,’ ” said Rey Lavalle, a city firefighter who communicated with the man, Salvador Pena, in Spanish.

Blasting their way through slabs of concrete, the firefighters risked their lives to reach Pena--who was airlifted to UCLA Medical Center with crushed legs and a partially dislocated spine.

“I almost cried,” fire Capt. Jim Vandell said after the rescue. “I was elated. We all were.”