Needham FD Helps Battle Fires in Lawrence, Andover, North Andover

It's not often that Needham responds to fires in the Merrimack Valley area, but Thursday night's fires in Lawrence, Andover, and North Andover proved to be a great exception.

Needham Fire was one of the agencies that responded to the blazes caused by a major gas emergency in the three towns, which all requested 10-alarm responses, the maximum response, at the same time.

The explosions appear to be concentrated in a one-mile square area south of the Merrimack River. While the cause of the fires has not been confirmed, some reports suggested the over-pressurization of gas lines contributed to the explosions. In Andover, nearly 40 fires erupted during the early evening hours. As of 7 p.m., all the fires in that town are under control.

State Police indicated that the total number of fires across the three communities is around 70.

Residents in all three communities have been asked to evacuate.

The fires have led to a large response. In addition to Needham, fire department from as far as Boston, Belmont, and New Hampshire have provided aid.

Reporting from Mike Carraggi, Dave Copeland, and Alex Newman was used in this story.

Image Credit: Dan Libon/Patch