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Eugene

(61,563 posts)
35. One dead in Massachusetts after gas explosions ignite dozens of fires
Fri Sep 14, 2018, 07:07 AM
Sep 2018

Source: The Guardian and agencies

One dead in Massachusetts after gas explosions ignite dozens of fires

Local police chief says 60 to 100 fires were burning in the area and several people were taken to hospital

Sarah Betancourt in Boston and agencies
Fri 14 Sep 2018 04.24 BST

One person died, several were injured and scores of Massachusetts residents were forced to evacuate their homes as dozens of fires raged following a series of gas explosions in three communities north of Boston.

Leonel Rondon, 18, was sitting in a car in Lawrence when the chimney from a house explosion fell on the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Residents with homes serviced by Columbia Gas in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover were ordered to evacuate, causing widespread confusion as crews scrambled to fight the flames and shut off the gas.

Andover fire chief Michael Mansfield said: “It looked like Armageddon, it really did. There were billows of smoke coming from Lawrence behind me. I could see pillars of smoke in front of me from the town of Andover.”

-snip-


Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/13/massachusetts-gas-explosions
I just heard about this an hour ago PatSeg Sep 2018 #1
I know! Can you imagine if homes just started blowing up all over your smirkymonkey Sep 2018 #3
It must be like being in a war zone, PatSeg Sep 2018 #9
CNN has a map up on their site curlyred Sep 2018 #2
It's quite widespread. smirkymonkey Sep 2018 #5
Just now. sheshe2 Sep 2018 #11
Wow! It's out of control! smirkymonkey Sep 2018 #13
The news is coming so fast, just heard electricity cut... sheshe2 Sep 2018 #15
They are depressurizing the gas lines, but that takes a lot of time. n/t dixiegrrrrl Sep 2018 #27
This may be related to a labor dispute? flyingfysh Sep 2018 #4
Interesting. That is the first I have heard of this. smirkymonkey Sep 2018 #8
i saw a blurb somewhere barbtries Sep 2018 #17
Here, maybe this is it LisaM Sep 2018 #20
Serious bad news. Mopar151 Sep 2018 #32
8 people died in the San Bruno, California, gas pipeline explosion in 2010 Bernardo de La Paz Sep 2018 #6
That was the only story PatSeg Sep 2018 #7
Home gas lines are supposed to be just a few psi of pressure truthisfreedom Sep 2018 #10
I worked for one of the gas transportation companies some decades ago Xipe Totec Sep 2018 #12
This is why I don't want a gas stove. LisaM Sep 2018 #14
Your city home may still have an old gas line. rickford66 Sep 2018 #16
I'm actually in an apartment now LisaM Sep 2018 #19
LP doesn't suffer from this problem. eggplant Sep 2018 #24
Even without gas lines blowing up I don't trust gas appliances csziggy Sep 2018 #28
Almost No Appliances Have Pilot Lights Anymore ProfessorGAC Sep 2018 #37
bookmarking for comment later mahatmakanejeeves Sep 2018 #39
My experience was nearly forty five years ago csziggy Sep 2018 #40
I Wasn't Disputing It, Ziggy ProfessorGAC Sep 2018 #41
Gas stoves scare the hell out of me. dewsgirl Sep 2018 #30
I photographed a similar incident 45 years ago in London, Ontario in Canada The_jackalope Sep 2018 #18
25 to 30 miles north of Boston is where this is. Stuart G Sep 2018 #21
Centralia, MO Strelnikov_ Sep 2018 #22
Are gas grids managed like electric grids - by software? bucolic_frolic Sep 2018 #23
good question, I think this may help elmac Sep 2018 #25
Thanks, sounds like parts of them are - regulators, some remotely controlled bucolic_frolic Sep 2018 #26
cyber attack info elmac Sep 2018 #29
That is pretty terrifying. smirkymonkey Sep 2018 #31
Updated story: Merrimack Valley Explosions: What We Know Rhiannon12866 Sep 2018 #33
This will take a long time to fix. KY_EnviroGuy Sep 2018 #34
One dead in Massachusetts after gas explosions ignite dozens of fires Eugene Sep 2018 #35
A cautionary tale for everyone. We live nearby this disaster and are anxiously following FailureToCommunicate Sep 2018 #36
Thank you for the update and information. May I ask for one more update? MissMillie Sep 2018 #38
It still looks like off ramps are closed at Mass Ave (N. Andover), Salem Tpk, and Rt 28 in FailureToCommunicate Sep 2018 #42
I went to prep school for two years in North Andover... brooklynite Sep 2018 #43
Update Saturday: New gas leak reported after explosions in Massachusetts Rhiannon12866 Sep 2018 #44
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