(17 Sep 2018) Hundreds of people have lined up to lodge emergency food claims with a local utility company after a series of gas explosions hit three Massachusetts towns, killing a teenager, wounding at least 25 others and fording hundreds from their homes.
Those lining up were seeking immediate relief from food spoilt during a prolonged power and gas outage, mothers seeking supplies for toddlers hit by the evacuation and parents forced to miss work during the crisis.
Katherine Reyes was thankful that the gas company was beginning to address customers' emergency needs.
Still, Reyes said she still feels unsafe after returning to her home with her children Sunday night, saying that she had trouble sleeping and became apprehensive every time she heard emergency vehicles go by.
Columbia Gas spokesman Scott Ferson said its representatives handed out gift cards to 500 claimants Sunday and were expecting to handle and 750 others Monday.
He said the company's biggest challenge is restoring service to customers, adding that those in the impacted zone will have to wait until the utility runs new gas lines to replace the entire system. He said that could take several weeks.
The investigation into the natural gas explosions is partially focused on pressure sensors that were connected to a gas line that was being taken out of service shortly before the blasts, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board said Sunday.
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