[ad_1]
LAWRENCE, Mass. – Violent explosions and arson Thursday afternoon devastated three cities north of Boston, damaging dozens of homes, forcing thousands of stunned residents to evacuate and dive much of the region into mysterious darkness.
At least 20 people were injured in the sudden series of explosions caused by gas leaks in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover, as clouds of black-gray smoke rolled over the roofs and flames in the sky.
Throughout the area, residents returned home from work to find their homes on fire and neighbors outside with no clear idea of what to do. Firefighters and other rescuers ran from block to block, urging residents to evacuate to hastily opened shelters. Along some blocks, the smell of gas was floating in the air and cell phones were buzzing with evacuation warning.
"It really looked like Armageddon," said Michael Mansfield, Andover's fire chief, who worked as a firefighter for nearly four decades at a CBS station in Boston. "There were streams of smoke from Lawrence behind me. I could see plumes of smoke in front of me from Andover City. It looked like an absolute war zone.
The series of explosions, fires and reports of gas smell – at least 70 of them, although the authorities are still trying to report all the damage late Thursday – appeared suddenly, shortly before 5 pm without warning and without immediate explanation of officials. However, many local authorities have focused on natural gas and the potential for gas to become overexpressed overall.
A local gas company, Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, had Last Thursday, the company posted a statement on its website: "Columbia Gas's teams are currently responding to reports of several fires in Lawrence. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by today's incident.
With three communities hosting more than 100,000 people, the consequences have been chaotic, confusing and changing. In some neighborhoods, firefighters found themselves extinguishing a fire, but another ended up next to or next to the building. Lawrence's images showed several burning apartment complexes and thick smoke swelling as firefighters rushed to the scene.
In the long hours after the fires, sections of the communities became dark and silent, the power was cut off and people were asked to leave. More than 18,000 customers were without electricity on Thursday night. Long lines of traffic have blocked the roads of some cities. Traffic was also dense near roads leading to shelters open to the homeless. Some major highway exits have been closed and officials said schools in the area would be closed on Friday.
Some people said that they were told to leave only if they smelled gas; others said that they had been told to leave independently. Some people said they did not know if they should stay or leave and when they could return. "What we need to do is if it happens at home, you have a funny smell, just evacuate, get out on the street," said Lawrence Lawrence Mayor Lawrence. told WBZ-TV.
Maureen Taylor, 55, put a roast in her oven at Andover when something seemed strange: the gas stove was making the usual clatter, but that would not turn on.
"I did not get gas," she said. "It was very weird."
A minute later, his phone rang with an alarm telling him to evacuate.
"I am very lucky that the stove did not explode," she said.
While Mrs. Taylor and two of her neighbors were visiting a senior citizens' home, she saw two houses burned in her neighborhood. The officers were gathered in the streets. At the Seniors Center, Ms. Taylor said she was surrounded by dozens of other people who were wondering what would happen next.
"They are afraid to go home," she said. "They worry about their animals. Because we just had a few minutes to evacuate, and we continue to hear new information on whether we are going back tonight or not.
During the night, the leaders of the three cities suggested that evacuated residents should stay away – at least for now. No deadline for cleaning and security checks was set, they said, and no one had any idea of the amount of damage.
Mr. Rivera stated that the properties affected at Lawrence were south of the Merrimack River. He warned people not to return home Thursday night and it may take days to make sure the houses are safe.
"If you are outside the house, stay away from your properties until we have made it safe for everyone," said Mr. Rivera. "If you have not evacuated, you must go there. Trust us when we tell you that if you stay at home, you will be in danger.
Governor Charlie Baker said public security officials and government officials are striving to keep people safe and communities safe at night despite the loss of power and lingering fears. Later, he said, he will focus his attention on the causes of the explosion.
"We will address the question of what happened," he said.
Katharine Q. Seelye reported from Lawrence, Mass .; Farah Stockman of Cambridge, Mass .; Monica Davey from Chicago; and Jacey Fortin from New York. Andrew R. Chow and Julia Jacobs reported in New York.
Source link
