Gas Company to Replace Heating Equipment Damaged in Massachusetts Disaster

The natural gas company blamed for a series of explosions and fires in Massachusetts’ Merrimack Valley says it’ll resume replacing damaged heating equipment for property owners this spring.

Columbia Gas of Massachusetts said furnaces, boilers and hot water heaters repaired but not replaced during the months-long recovery process will now be exchanged for new equipment.

The company didn’t say how many customers the work impacts, but says it won’t cost customers anything. The company has committed to finishing all work by Sept. 15. It announced this next phase in the recovery process Saturday during community forums in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover.

The disaster last Sept. 13 resulted in one death, dozens of injuries, damage to hundreds of buildings and thousands of customers without natural gas service for months.