DocM Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 (edited) Sounds like a major natural gas SCADA* failure; lines over-pressurized and burst, causing many fires & explosions. I'm told the security folks are watching this for signs of a cyberattack. * supervisory control and data acquisition system https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/09/13/reports-fire-and-explosions-lawrence-due-gas-main-explosion/hYtZXOPHIvSo2ZEJpAn3qK/story.html Quote Fires, explosions rock Lawrence area Dozens of fires and explosions broke out in Lawrence, Andover, and North Andover Thursday afternoon, and State Police advised all residents in those communities who get their gas service from Columbia Gas to evacuate their homes immediately. “Gas lines are currently being depressurized by the company,” but it will “take some time,” State Police said in a tweet. Electricity to all three communities was being shut off. The mayor of Lawrence asked all residents of the South Lawrence area to evacuate due to the power shutoff, not just Columbia Gas customers in the area, State Police said. Unobscured Vision 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unobscured Vision Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 Wow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted September 14, 2018 Author Share Posted September 14, 2018 More; at least 70 fires https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/nearly-40-fires-explosions-erupt-massachusetts-n909446 Quote > Lawrence police Chief Roy Vasque told The Eagle-Tribune, which covers the Merrimack Valley, that he’d “never seen anything like this.” “It’s bad,” he said. The state police tweeted that local authorities and state troopers were helping evacuate residents to a senior center and a middle school while detectives and others investigated multiple scenes. “Far too early to speculate on cause,” the state police tweeted, adding that a joint investigation will be conducted when the situations is stabilized. A spokesperson for Columbia Gas told NBC News that the company is advising people who smell gas in the Lawrence area to evacuate, get to a safe location, and not to open or close any windows or doors. Gov. Charlie Baker tweeted that he's urging residents to follow instructions from local officials about evacuations and to suspend their gas usage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Warwagon MVC Posted September 14, 2018 MVC Share Posted September 14, 2018 THe first thing that came to mind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim K Global Moderator Posted September 16, 2018 Global Moderator Share Posted September 16, 2018 Quote Massachusetts residents will be allowed to return home following gas fires Residents of three neighborhoods north of Boston racked by fires and explosions caused by overpressurized gas lines last week will be allowed to return home Sunday morning. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said door-to-door inspections conducted in the aftermath of Thursday's gas explosions in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover were expected to wrap up Saturday night and all residents should be able to return home at 7 a.m. Sunday morning. There are at least 12 families whose homes were destroyed who will not be able to return home, officials said. // National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Robert Sumwalt said Saturday the explosions did not appear to be "nefarious" or "intentional." /snip ABC News Kinda nuts how Columbia Gas was seemingly ill-prepared for this incident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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