[ad_1]
BOSTON –
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency Friday in three cities north of Boston, shaken by a series of deadly gas explosions.
"Today, on a number of very important issues, we have heard one thing and something else has happened," Baker told the press.
Baker said that Eversource would replace Columbia Gas the same day he warned townspeople still stunned that a return to normal might take time after Thursday's explosions set houses on fire, forcibly evacuated. and made a death.
"The follow-up was not there," Baker said. "We have to continue with that."
Mayor Daniel Rivera of Lawrence, one of the affected towns, said about the company: "It just seemed like there was no one in charge, like they were in the weeds , and they've never seen it before. "
Columbia Gas President Steve Bryant then defended the company's performance, saying the utility had been in constant contact with state and federal authorities.
"I would say we have progressed as quickly as possible," he told reporters. "I do not think anyone could have handled that would have gone further than us right now."
Bryant expressed his condolences to the victim's family, apologized for the inconvenience to the clients, and said the company was providing "all the resources possible to repair the damage."
Hundreds of natural gas technicians were expected to descend on Lawrence, Andover and North Andover in the coming days to restore the gas service safely before electricity is turned on, state officials said Friday.
"The public utility technicians have to do their job to make sure everyone has a safe place to go back," Baker said. "It will not be an easy process and we are asking for patience."
Kurt Schwartz, director of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, said, "How long will it take, as long as it takes, we do not know how long it will take."
The investigation into the cause – involving the National Transportation Safety Board and other federal agencies – is in its infancy, officials said.
"Once the utilities have secured the affected areas, we will work with the federal government to determine how this has happened and who should be held accountable for the results and actions," Baker said.
As pressure mounted on Friday for gas company officials to provide answers about what had happened, scientists Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts called for Congressional hearings on explosions and fires.
"People have the right to know," Markey told reporters. "There is often a tendency, when there are accidents like this, that the company tries to protect its shareholders when their only purpose is to protect the people they serve. it happens. "
Thursday night, houses exploded in the three cities, destroyed by more than 60 fires of gas.
"It looked like Armageddon, it really did," said Michael B. Mansfield, chief of the Andover Fire Rescue Service.
A Lawrence house exploded, sending the chimney flying. He hit a car nearby, fatally injuring a teenager inside. Leonel Rondon, 18, and two of his friends were in the car when the debris hit, his family told CNN's affiliate, WHDH. He died later in the hospital, authorities said.
Also in Lawrence, a boiler in Ra Nam's house caught fire, he told CNN's affiliate, WCVB.
A few minutes later, he said he heard a loud noise from his neighbor's house. Three people rushed. About 25 people, including two firefighters, were injured, officials said.
"It was an extraordinary event," Mansfield said. "I have been in the fire department for almost 39 years and have never seen anything like it in my career."
Gas, power failure
Gas technicians and first responders went door-to-door to examine thousands of homes in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover and to shut down the gas lines.
Authorities also cut power in the three cities, Massachusetts State Police said Thursday evening. The agency has confirmed at least 70 responses to reports of fire, explosion and gas odor. About 18,000 customers were without electricity.
The outbreaks prevented 8,000 people from returning home on Thursday. A college in Andover and a senior center in Andover have been set up for the evacuees, according to the national police.
Schools were to be closed Friday at Lawrence and Andover. All state offices in the three cities were also closed and non-emergency employees were asked to stay at home.
NTSB President Robert Sumwalt said the NTSB sent a team Friday to investigate what "appears to be multiple explosions involving a natural gas pipeline in the Merrimack Valley area of Massachusetts."
Mr Sumwalt said his agency would look into "pipeline system design, maintenance or ongoing or ongoing upgrades on the pipeline." The integrity management system of the company Pipeline operator Columbia Gas., The safety program of the pipeline operator. "
"Our mission is to find out what has happened so that we can learn from it and prevent it from happening again," he said.
Thousands can not go home
The information on the extent of the damage was not immediately available Thursday night and the authorities warned that it was "too early to speculate" on the cause of the explosions.
Earlier Thursday, before the start of the fires, the utility company serving the area announced that it would improve natural gas lines in the state's neighborhoods.
"If time permits, the work will take place from Monday to Friday," Columbia Gas said in a statement. Andover, North Andover and Lawrence were included in the planned projects.
The gas service was halted for 250 customers in Lawrence last month due to a line affected by a third party, according to the company. It is unclear whether this incident was related to Thursday's fire and explosions.
The governor said he was urging Columbia Gas to develop a "comprehensive safety inspection plan".
Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera said residents would not be allowed to return home before teams inspect each home and make sure there are no more gas leaks.
"We're not sure it will be ready soon, so make plans for at least between now and this time tomorrow," Rivera said Friday morning.
Explosions and emergency response led Amtrak to cancel four train lines between Boston and Maine.
Public service works with officials to "investigate this incident"
In a statement released Friday, Columbia Gas said the crew members were trying to restore food with the help of other utility companies.
"Our thoughts are with the community and all those affected by the tragic incident of yesterday, and we strive to provide as much support as possible to our clients, residents and communities," the company said. the press release.
Columbia Gas also reported working with the authorities to "investigate this incident in order to understand its cause".
The-CNN-Wire & 2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.
Source link
