LAWRENCE, Mass. (WHDH/AP) — The company at the center of the natural gas explosions in the Merrimack Valley says 33 percent of affected homes still do not have gas as of the original restoration deadline.
The Sept. 13 blasts in Andover, Lawrence and North Andover destroyed or damaged more than 130 structures, injured dozens and left at least one person dead.
Columbia Gas on Sunday released new data showing service has been restored to 4,928 of the nearly 7,500 gas meters that were shut off after the explosions. Service also has been restored to about 81 percent of business meters.
Gas restoration is expected to be completed by mid-December.
The company says it has paid nearly $60 million for customer claims so far.
Investigators have blamed overpressurization of gas lines for the explosions.
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