Dozens of fires, explosions reported in 3 Massachusetts communities

Catherine Garcia, The Week US's avatar
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last updated
Firefighters battle a blaze in North Andover, Massachusetts.
(Image credit: AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)

Dozens of homes were damaged and some destroyed on Thursday when multiple gas-related explosions triggered fires across several communities in Massachusetts' Merrimack Valley region.

Massachusetts State Police tweeted that emergency crews have responded to 70 different addresses in Lawrence, Andover, and North Andover, but that number will grow. Residents in those areas who have Columbia Gas have been ordered to evacuate their homes immediately. Authorities said that gas lines are being depressurized, which "will take some time," and it is "far too early to speculate on cause. Joint investigation will be conducted when situation is stabilized."

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This is a developing story and has been updated throughout.

Catherine Garcia, The Week US
Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.