The nation in brief

LAWRENCE, Mass. — A series of gas explosions killed a young man, injured at least 10 other people and ignited fires in at least 39 homes in three communities north of Boston on Thursday, forcing entire neighborhoods to evacuate as crews scrambled to fight the flames and shut off the gas.

Authorities said Leonel Rondon, 18, of Lawrence, died after a chimney toppled by an exploding house crashed onto his car. He was rushed to a Boston hospital but pronounced dead there in the evening.

Massachusetts State Police urged all residents with homes serviced by Columbia Gas in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover to evacuate.

Gov. Charlie Baker said state and local authorities are investigating.

By late Thursday, all of the fires had been doused but many areas remained silent and dark.

Lawrence General Hospital said it was treating 10 victims with injuries related to the fires, including one in critical condition.

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency blamed the fires on gas lines that had become over-pressurized but said investigators were still examining what happened.

Columbia Gas had announced earlier Thursday that it would be upgrading gas lines in neighborhoods across the state, including the area where the explosions happened. It was not clear whether work was happening there Thursday.