Columbia Gas To Replace Heating Equipment Damaged In Disaster

March 10, 2019

The Associated Press

Utility contractors dig up the road above natural gas lines along Dracut Street in Lawrence, Mass., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Nearly 9,000 homes and businesses may be without gas for weeks as investigators continue to probe what set off the explosions last Thursday in the Merrimack Valley area serviced by Columbia Gas of Massachusetts. (Charles Krupa/AP) — Utility contractors dig up the road above natural gas lines along Dracut Street in Lawrence, Mass., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018 after the explosions in the Merrimack Valley area serviced by Columbia Gas of Massachusetts. (Charles Krupa/AP)

This article is more than 4 years old.

The natural gas company blamed for a series of explosions and fires in Massachusetts' Merrimack Valley says it'll resume replacing damaged heating equipment for property owners this spring.

Columbia Gas of Massachusetts said furnaces, boilers and hot water heaters repaired but not replaced during the monthslong recovery process will now be exchanged for new equipment.

The company didn't say how many customers the work impacts, but says it won't cost customers anything. Columbia Gas has committed to finishing all work by Sept. 15. It announced this next phase in the recovery process Saturday during community forums in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover.

The disaster last Sept. 13 resulted in one death, dozens of injuries, damage to hundreds of buildings and thousands of customers without natural gas service for months.

Merrimack Valley Explosions

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