Dot company: We’ve ‘done nothing wrong’

Feeney Brothers Utility Services, the Columbia Gas contractor that is now a focus of federal investigators, denied its work was done improperly yesterday, saying Columbia managers cleared the workers of any mistakes or wrongdoing.

“All of Feeney’s work was done with Columbia Gas’s oversight and according to written procedures provided to its crew by Columbia Gas and directly overseen by a union inspector employed by Columbia Gas,” the Dorchester company said. “While the investigation will take time, we have no doubt that Feeney’s crew will be found to have done their work professionally, safely and correctly. We stand by our crew and all our workers.”

Feeney Brothers was working at the intersection of South Union and Salem streets Sept. 13, the same day as the rampant gas leaks and fires. Officials have said the disaster was the result of a lowpressure gas line increasing to 12 times its standard pressure. In its statement, Feeney Brothers said its crew was working on a “low-pressure to low-pressure main tie in.”

The company said its workers were interviewed by Columbia Gas managers early yesterday morning and have spoken to the NTSB. Feeney Brothers said Columbia Gas told the company its workers were “solid and had done nothing wrong.”

“This was subsequently confirmed by other Columbia Gas representatives who indicated that Feeney followed the Columbia Gas procedures correctly and as directed,” the company said.

Both Gov. Charlie Baker and John Hamrock, chief executive of Columbia parent company NiSource, declined to comment on the statement, saying the NTSB is handling questions and decisions related to the cause of the fires.

“The National Transportation Safety Board and the pipeline safety agency, both federal enterprises, were on the ground here the morning of the original explosions, early morning Friday,” Baker said. “I am going to wait until they speak specifically about what they believe happened.”

An NTSB spokesman declined to comment.