First Anniversary Of Gas Explosions Marked With Somber Ceremony

LAWRENCE, MA — One year after pressure in a natural gas line set off a series of explosions that killed one and forced thousands of residents in Andover, North Andover and Lawrence to leave their homes, Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera noted this mixed feelings of the day. Ribvera spoke Friday morning at the dedication of a square in memory of Lawrence Rondon, who was killed in one of the explosions on Sept. 13, 2018.

"It's time for us all to reflect on what happened and that we got through, and celebrate that we got through," Rivera said.

That ceremony followed a mass in Lawrence. Later on Friday, officials in Andover will planning a ceremony in front of the Old Town Hall on Main Street. And throughout the day, residents and public officials recalled the horror of a year ago.

The ceremonies came just one day after the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities said Columbia Gas of Massachusetts may not be complying with a restoration plan that was part of an agreement with the state and the three communities impacted by last year's gas explosion. The regulator said the utility had not begun inspecting service lines that were abandoned after the Sept. 13 gas explosions.

That meant many residents had an extra reminder of all they had been through, as Columbia Gas started notifying individual property owners there may not have been inspected, abandoned gas lines on the property. While the utility said the gas lines do not pose a safety threat, it was the latest in a series of difficult dealings residents had had with the company, which will likely pay more than $1 billion in restoration and to settle lawsuits filed against it in the wake of the disaster.

"I was just told my house made the list of uncapped gas pipes. Does this ever end?!?" one woman posted on a Facebook group for residents affected by the explosions.

While the explosions damaged or destroyed more than 130 buildings, officials ordered a mass evacuation of large areas of each community in the immediate aftermath of the explosions. Some of those residents would not be able to return for months. Ismael Rivera of Lawrence was expected to move back into his home Friday, one year after it burned in the explosions. Boston 25 reported on a North Andover couple who has still been unable to return home.

More on Patch: Andover Offers Resources, Support On Gas Disaster Anniversary

Rondon's family, who attended Friday's ceremony in Lawrence, sued Columbia and its parent company in October. The wrongful death lawsuit was settled in July. The National Transportation Safety Board, which is still working on its investigation, has blamed the explosions on over-pressurization in gas lines. Dozens were injured; Rondon was the only fatality.

Rondon, 18, was parked in the driveway of his family's Lawrence home when the house was flattened by an explosion and a chimney collapsed onto the SUV. A passenger in the car suffered severe injuries, while two other passengers escaped unscathed.

A class action lawsuit has been settled and the details are close to being finalized. Columbia Gas of Massachusetts and its parent company will pay out $143 million to residents in Andover, North Andover and Lawrence. The settlement covers people who suffered emotional distress. People who sustained physical injuries will have a different process for filing claims. Columbia Gas also previously agreed to pay the three communities money to cover the cost of road repairs.

Related story: Columbia Gas Disaster Settlement: What You Need To Know

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).