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Suspected explosions fired dozens of blocks and forced evacuations in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover, according to Massachusetts police.
Lawrence General Hospital has received three patients in an unknown state, according to spokeswoman Jill Halsey. Andover officials said one firefighter was among the injured.
Firefighters extinguished 35 fires in Andover, city officials said.
"Incidents occur in dozens of blocks across Lawrence and North Andover," state police said via Twitter. There have been at least 70 responses to reports of fire, explosion and gas odor.
The local power company cut power to Lawrence, North Andover and Andover due to the emergency, the national police said Thursday night. The cities are north of Boston.
Lawrence's advisor, Marc Laplante, said residents of South Lawrence are being evacuated.
According to the agency, a college in Andover and a senior center in Andover were created. Andover officials have asked residents and businesses of areas served by gas to evacuate.
According to Jim Chiavelli, the college president's chief of staff, the residences and university buildings at Merrimack College have been evacuated. Students waited outside the buildings for the gas to be shut off.
Residents in the area who serve Columbia Gas "should evacuate their homes immediately," state police said.
The gas lines were depressurized by the company. Police said some neighborhoods were evacuated due to gas odors.
There was no immediate information available on the extent of the damage.
"Far too early to speculate on the cause" of the explosions, said the authorities.
The gas service was halted for 250 customers at Lawrence last month "due to a third-party finish line," according to Columbia Gas.
The National Transportation Safety Board gathers information.
History of development. More soon…
CNN's Lauren del Valle Phil Gast, Taylor Romine contributed to this report.
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