At least four people were injured in Massachusetts Thursday night after "suspected gas explosions" tore through several communities outside of Boston, officials confirmed.
Preliminary numbers estimate that between 60 to 100 homes in the Merrimack Valley caught fire in the towns of Lawrence, Andover and North Andover, Methuen Police Chief Joseph Soloman said.
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. 7:25 PM - Sep 13, 2018
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September 13, 2018, 07:19 PM
MikeNH
This is ugly. My brother is on the fire department in the town we grew up in here in NH and they've sent an engine down to help and we're probably an hour away. Emergency crews have a lot of work ahead of them.
September 13, 2018, 07:20 PM
Balzé Halzé
What in the hell is going on there?
~Alan Acta Non Verba NRA Life Member (Patron) God, Family, Guns, Country
Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan
September 13, 2018, 07:24 PM
PD
This would be dominating the news if it wasn’t for the hurricane. Only a few casualties but many people have been uprooted by the gas company.
I wonder if something more volatile than natural gas got into the distribution system?
suaviter in modo, fortiter in re
September 13, 2018, 07:30 PM
MikeNH
quote:
Originally posted by motor59: I wonder if something more volatile than natural gas got into the distribution system?
What I've read is the system overpressurized and seemingly multiple relief systems failed. Doesn't surprise me. Infrastructure up here is ancient.
September 13, 2018, 07:33 PM
PD
quote:
Originally posted by motor59: I wonder if something more volatile than natural gas got into the distribution system?
More volatile than natural gas? Natural gas is enough to blow up a neighborhood.
September 13, 2018, 07:35 PM
MitchbSC
Was Bruce Willis in a local gas plant doing a sequel to "Live Free or Die Hard" (2007)?
They don't think it be like it is, but it do.
September 13, 2018, 07:38 PM
Balzé Halzé
quote:
Originally posted by MitchbSC: Was Bruce Willis in a local gas plant doing a sequel to "Live Free or Die Hard" (2007)?
Haha, one of the first things I thought of as well.
~Alan Acta Non Verba NRA Life Member (Patron) God, Family, Guns, Country
Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan
September 13, 2018, 07:58 PM
BigCity
Don't worry. It is all Trump's fault.....
John
The key to enforcement is to punish the violator, not an inanimate object. The punishment of inanimate objects for the commission of a crime or carelessness is an affront to stupidity.
September 13, 2018, 07:59 PM
flashguy
I think overpressurization in the line could easily explain things.
flashguy
Texan by choice, not accident of birth
September 13, 2018, 08:15 PM
Skins2881
quote:
Originally posted by MikeNH:
quote:
Originally posted by motor59: I wonder if something more volatile than natural gas got into the distribution system?
What I've read is the system overpressurized and seemingly multiple relief systems failed. Doesn't surprise me. Infrastructure up here is ancient.
Called my buddy who did 30 years with Washington Gas. He said that was most likely the case. Also something about gas hot water heaters having a grease seal held shut with weak springs. Said house regulators are set up for 50-60PSI and if there is more the relief valve may not be able to vent it all leading to leaks in houses and pilot lights can end up shooting flames to the ceiling.
I'm sure their insurance company is super happy right now.
Jesse
Sic Semper Tyrannis
September 13, 2018, 08:21 PM
MikeNH
It's horrible. So many photos of leveled homes. So far I'm only seeing reports of injuries. It'd be incredible if no one was killed by this.
September 13, 2018, 08:31 PM
cslinger
Is this a thing??? Has this ever happened before???
I mean I have heard of a house or two next to each other going up but like has been said this is like a movie plot.
Jesus folks all over are having a shit show unfold. Take care everyone.
Take Care, Shoot Safe, Chris
September 13, 2018, 08:38 PM
PD
quote:
Originally posted by cslinger: Is this a thing??? Has this ever happened before???
A gas line took out a residential neighborhood in California.
September 13, 2018, 08:58 PM
wrightd
One thing is for sure. The citizens will pay the settlements, but the perps who covered up the infrastructure problem will never pay, they will be covered for and protected by their incompetent govt bretheren, just like the turds at the just us department.
iir there was a similar problem several years ago, where a neighborhood blew up and burned from a similar natural gas problem. I like the idea of natural gas, but I don't trust it, because of situations like this. It seems to happen too often. I'm not sure that propane is any safer. there was a very large expensive home that blew up in a ball of fire some time ago in my city, caused by some kind of propane tank problem. I think if might have been underground or something like that.
Lover of the US Constitution Wile E. Coyote School of DIY Disaster
September 13, 2018, 08:59 PM
arcwelder
A friend of mine has a full time job finding gas leaks, just on and around streets and sidewalks, from underground supply lines. There are some old ass pipes here in MA, and I'm sure that combined with some sort of equipment failure(s) is the cause here.
I don't remember something like this happening in such a large area in the past.
Arc. ______________________________ "Like a bitter weed, I'm a bad seed"- Johnny Cash "I'm a loner, Dottie. A rebel." - Pee Wee Herman Rode hard, put away wet. RIP JHM "You're a junkyard dog." - Lupe Flores. RIP
September 13, 2018, 09:03 PM
wrightd
I just found it on google, this has happened before on a large scale:
Lover of the US Constitution Wile E. Coyote School of DIY Disaster
September 14, 2018, 12:51 AM
zoom6zoom
Man, that's the neighborhood I grew up in. It's likely I know some of the affected folks. When I was growing up there, all the gas meters were inside, in the basement. Seemed like a bad idea even then.This message has been edited. Last edited by: zoom6zoom,