Methuen Homes Slowly Getting Gas Back After Major Outage

As of late afternoon Friday, approximately 500 homes in Methuen were still without gas after a major outage in the natural gas supply.

The Columbia Gas company said initial repairs have been made, and now crews will visit all 950 homes individually to turn the gas back on.

"They've got to go door-to-door, actually in each house to turn the gas on," said WBUR reporter Fred Thys. "I talked to one family that was quite frustrated because they don't have it yet. But I've seen trucks up and down all of the streets, and they are just going where they're told to to turn the gas back on."

Matt Kraunelis, the mayor's chief of staff, said an emergency shelter is open at a Methuen grammar school.

"That (school) can hold about 400 people, we think, and if there is an overflow we can open a second shelter, probably at Methuen High School, and that can hold a lot more," Kraunelis said.

Kraunelis said they are making arrangements for buses to move people from housing authority property to the shelter if needed.

Methuen's public schools were closed Friday.