Local police chief says 60 to 100 fires were burning in the area and several people were taken to hospital

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

One person died, several were injured and scores of Massachusetts residents were forced to evacuate their homes as dozens of fires raged following a series of gas explosions in three communities north of Boston.

Leonel Rondon, 18, was sitting in a car in Lawrence when the chimney from a house explosion fell on the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Residents with homes serviced by Columbia Gas in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover were ordered to evacuate, causing widespread confusion as crews scrambled to fight the flames and shut off the gas.

The Andover fire chief, Michael Mansfield, said: “It looked like Armageddon, it really did. There were billows of smoke coming from Lawrence behind me. I could see pillars of smoke in front of me from the town of Andover.”

The governor of Massachusetts, Charlie Baker, said state and local authorities are investigating but that it could take days or weeks before they turn up answers.

“This is still very much an active scene,” he said. “There will be plenty of time later tonight, tomorrow morning and into the next day to do some of the work around determining exactly what happened and why.”

Columbia Gas posted an online note shortly after the first explosions that read: “Crews are currently responding to reports of multiple fires in Lawrence, MA. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by today’s incident.”

Mass State Police (@MassStatePolice) Confirmed fires/explosions plotted on map by MSP Watch Center. As seen, incidents are across a wide swath of dozens of blocks across Lawrence and North Andover. pic.twitter.com/0GoLK0Q94q

According to the Methuen police chief, Joseph Solomon, 60 to 100 fires were burning across the area and several people were injured. Officials said four victims were being treated at Lawrence general hospital for injuries.

The mayor of Lawrence, Dan Rivera said “over-pressured gas valves”, caused the explosions.

A Lawrence city councilor, Marc Leplante, told the Guardian: “It’s just wall-to-wall fire trucks from all over, and rows of ambulances and command trucks.”

Mansfield, the Andover fire chief, said 35 fires were put out across the town, and that “at least three people have been injured in Andover, including one firefighter and at least two civilians”. He said the fires were gas-related and had all been extinguished.

Rivera chided anyone who has gas in south Lawrence who plans on remaining home. “If you haven’t evacuated, you gotta go,” he said. “If you stay at your home, you’re gonna be at risk. Get out of your house and go north of the river.”

Amtrak cancelled trains from Boston to Portland, Maine, and was bussing passengers.

The North Andover town manager, Andrew Maylor, said in a press conference that “no timeline has been set” on when residents with natural gas could return home. He added that at least 12 houses were affected.

Tyler Medeiros, 24, was sitting on his back patio in North Andover when police sirens started to go by. One of his toy poodles began barking shortly after. A neighbor ran over and said: “Tyler, you need to get out of there now. We need to evacuate.”

They ran around the corner, and there he saw a home, two away from his own, engulfed in flames. Medeiros grabbed only medications for himself and his dogs, and “got the hell out of Dodge”, he told the Guardian.

“The chief of police came to my street and said, “You all need to leave now.”’ He said the streets were filled with running people, helicopters in the sky.

Medeiros said: “The entire town smelled like gas.” He added: “I’m hoping for the best. Things can be replaced but people can’t.”