US gas blast residents go home

Residents in communities north of Boston in the US that were hit by natural gas explosions have started to return to their homes.

Dozens of homes were destroyed or damaged, a teenager was killed and dozens of people were injured. Thousands of people were forced to evacuate. Governer Charlie Baker and other officials announced yesterday that people in Lawrence, North Andover and Andover were cleared to return home. Electricity was restored to nearly all homes and businesses, but gas service will remain shut off while officials continue investigating what caused Thursday’s explosions and fires.

Officials said it appeared Columbia Gas’s pipeline control centre in Columbus, Ohio, registered a pressure increase in the Lawrence area before the explosions.

Crews have turned off nearly 8,600 gas meters in the area.