Columbia Gas of Massachusetts President Steve Bryant apologized Friday for the "inconvenience" to customers in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover following a series of explosions that left more than two dozen injured and one dead.

Thousands were evacuated from the three Massachusetts communities Thursday. Fires sparked in 60 to 80 homes in the Merrimack Valley Thursday, with gas-pressurization leading to explosions in homes serviced by Columbia Gas. More than two dozen were treated for injuries.

Leonel Rondon, an 18-year-old from Lawrence, was in a car parked in a driveway when a chimney fell on the vehicle, fatally injuring him. Yet to be determined amounts of damage were caused to homes in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover, leaving thousands of residents uncertain when they can return home and what they will find.

Columbia was publicly criticized by Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera for a lack of communication with the public and officials.

"The least informed and the last to act have been Columbia Gas," Rivera said during heated remarks. "It just seems like there's no one in charge, they're in the weeds."

Columbia was criticized for their delayed response immediately following the series of explosions, which began late Thursday afternoon. The company released a statement five hours later.

"My very family is displaced," Rivera said, adding that there are residents who "watched houses blow up right next to them" are left afraid and without answers from their utility company.

The mayor of Lawrence said Columbia "promised hundreds of teams of technicians, none of which materialized." He said Columbia "wasted last night, calling the other utilities to come in. My understanding is they didn't want to foot the bill for them to be here."

Photos: Andover, Lawrence, North Andover fires and explosions 114 Gallery: Photos: Andover, Lawrence, North Andover fires and explosions

By Friday afternoon - following a series of statements released by the company - Rivera called upon Columbia to address the public by 4 p.m. Friday.

Bryant's remarks were held shortly after Rivera's given deadline.

He said the company has workers on the ground and is seeking assistance from sister companies in Pennsylvania and Ohio, who are expected Saturday.

On when residents should expect to return home, Bryant said they can expect to be "back home" Saturday and Sunday.

As of Friday afternoon, less than half of the 8,000 Columbia Gas customers have their gas shut off by workers.

More than 18,000 households in Massachusetts remain without power, a request made of the three communities in the Merrimack Valley. In the fallout, Rivera said he and officials of Andover and North Andover were asked to evacuate portions of their communities and shut utilities off.

Bryant said the company is cooperating with local, state and federal officials who are investigating the cause of the explosions.

National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Robert Sumwalt announced the investigation Friday morning.

NTSB officials will look into the design of the pipeline system, maintenance of the pipeline and the emergency response to the disaster.

The utility company was cited by name by NTSB officials during the press conference announcing the investigation into the disaster.

Citing a slow response by Columbia Gas, Gov. Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency and announced Eversource would take over as project manager

"This is something that a gas company hopes never happens," Bryant said.

The explosion occurred six years after the company accepted responsibility for a gas leak that caused an explosion in downtown Springfield. The blast leveled a strip club and a day care center. The explosion resulted in 18 first responders injured. The company reached an $850,000 settlement with the city in 2013.