Lawmaker Says State Bears Responsibility In Gas Explosions

LEXINGTON, MA -- A state representative who chairs the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy says the state is not taking enough of the blame for last month's gas explosions that damaged or destroyed 131 buildings in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover, killed one man, and left thousands without gas service as temperatures drop. Rep. Michael Barrett (D-Lexington) said he is skeptical of the state's move to ban Columbia Gas of Massachusetts and National Grid from most work outside of compliance and gas service restoration work until at least Dec. 1.

"We’re deflecting criticism from ourselves," Barrett told NECN, which first reported this story. "The state agencies involved here didn’t do their job. The (Department of Public Utilities) was never staffed up to adequately oversee Columbia Gas’s behavior."

DPU was warned in the week's before the explosion that it had too few inspectors in the field to check work by utilities. The state had just two inspectors, while federal regulators recommended 10. Officials believe over-pressurization following routine work in Lawrence set off the explosions, which also forced the evacuation of thousands of residents from the three communities.

"Columbia Gas has very serious things to answer for here, but so does the state of Massachusetts," Barrett said.

For more on this story, see NECN. Never miss another local news story: Get free local news alerts right to your inbox.

Patch file photo.