Governor Declares State of Emergency in Newport For Gas Outage

NEWPORT, RI -- Updated at 11:40 a.m. Tuesday: Governor Gina Raimondo has declared a state of emergency in Newport County after more than 7,100 National Grid customers lost gas service Monday. With temperatures in the single digits, Raimondo says the top priority is making sure residents are someplace warm and safe.

According to the National Grid website, more than 1,000 worker sare being deployed to the area to assess the situation and continue restoration efforts. The area has been declared safe, and the company stated it has the situation under control.

READ MORE: 5 Ways To Stay Safe During The Gas Emergency

"If you do not have heat this evening, do not stay in your homes overnight," Raimondo said during a press conference at 11 p.m. on Monday. "This is a major event...we all have to help each other."

National Grid reported a low-pressure issue just before noon Monday near Old Mill Lane in Portsmouth. According to a National Grid official, the issue was repaired, and service is being restored to several hundred residents in Middletown. However, gas service has been cut to over 6,700 Newport customers for safety reasons, as sufficient pressure cannot be restored at this time.

Unlike in a power outage, he continued, each home must be individually entered and each meter addressed individually. This process could take several days.

UPDATED STORY: National Grid Says Restoration Effort Will Take Several Days

A warming shelter has been set up at Gaudet Middle School in Aquidneck Avenue in Middletown. Raimondo said another warming shelter has been set up at the University of Rhode Island's Memorial Union, with overflow going to the Ryan Center.

Anyone who is unable to evacuate on their own can call 211 for assistance in getting transportation. According to Raimondo, the local National Guard has been deployed to the area and will be on call to assist with evacuations. Residents can also call a ride-sharing service such as Uber or Lyft, and National Grid will reimburse customers later for the expense. National Grid will also reimburse anyone affected who stays at a hotel.

Residents across Rhode Island are urged to check in on friends and loved ones in Newport to make sure they are safe and have somewhere warm to go Monday night. Due to the late hour, there is a concern for residents who may have gone to bed before becoming aware of the situation.

"If you have heat, please, call your loved ones, your church members, anyone in the area, offer for them to stay over at your house . Make sure they have a warm place to stay tonight," Raimondo urged during her press conference.

With so many customers affected by the outage, restoration efforts could take up to a week.

"Tonight, our main priority is making sure everyone is safe," Raimondo reiterated. "It is too cold to stay in your homes overnight."

All Newport Public Schools will be closed Tuesday. Salve Regina University has also cancelled classes on Tuesday. Newport City Hall will close early on Tuesday due to the lack of heat, and Wednesday's City Council Meeting is cancelled.

Newport residents are encouraged to sign up for Code Red alerts on the city's website to stay up to date on the situation.

The Potter League for Animals announced it will remain open throughout the night to accept pets of families going to warming shelters. Only service animals are permitted in warming shelters.

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