‘You can’t even see the sky;’ Towns evacuated as 70 fires, gas explosions rage in Massachusetts - Jessica Vomiero
MSP Fusion Center has current updated tally of responses to fires/explosions/investigations of gas odor at 70. Spread over wide swath of south #Lawrence and northern part of #NorthAndover with several others across Merrimack River in north Lawrence.
WATCH: Residents evacuate after multiple exposions, fires in Massachusetts
‘You can’t even see the sky;’ Towns evacuated as 70 fires, gas explosions rage in Massachusetts
Jessica Vomiero By Jessica Vomiero
At least four people have been injured in at least 70 fires and gas explosions in the Massachusetts communities of Lawrence, Andover and North Andover, a local hospital has confirmed.
According to Methuen Police Chief Joseph Solomon, there are between 20 and 35 of homes on fire in Lawrence. Solomon, who’s in Lawrence, says there are so many fires, “you can’t even see the sky.”
The Massachusetts State Police said in a tweet that troopers were on the scene to assist with security and traffic control. Lawrence Fire told NBC Boston that they were responding to multiple incidents across the city where residents called in, saying there was a problem with their gas lines.
Columbia Gas customers in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover have specifically been asked to evacuate and shut off their utilities
Local media cited a ruptured gas line as a possible cause of the explosions, though state police said it was “far too soon to speculate about the cause.” The Columbia gas company had announced earlier hat it would be upgrading the gas lines in neighbourhoods across the state, including the area where the explosions took place.
Residents from Andover are being evacuated to a seniors centre at 30 Whittier Court, and North Andover residents are being evacuated to a middle school located at 495 Main St.
Lawrence police Chief Roy Vasque told The Eagle-Tribune that he’s “never seen anything like this.”
Reports from WBZ-TV state that Andover police sent out an automated phone call telling residents to evacuate their homes and turn off the gas.
Police tweeted later on that numerous neighbourhood evacuations were currently underway and that a joint investigation was being conducted.
Officials in Andover are advising all residents and businesses to evacuate and shut off their gas, if they know how to do so safely. The town of Andover has 35,000 residents and is located about 40 kilometres north of Boston.
Neighbouring North Andover has gathered in the streets, Selectman Phil Decologero told the Associated Press.
“It’s definitely a scary situation at the moment,” he said. “It’s pretty severe.”
Whole neighbourhoods are being evacuated in Lawrence and City Councillor Marc Laplante said that authorities were shutting off electric power.
“People need to get out of this area safely, and it’s really difficult because the traffic right now is horrendous,” he said.
–With files from the Associated Press.
Developing.
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