ANDOVER — State Rep. Barry Finegold is demanding answers from Bay State Gas as to how a gas leak blew a 5-foot-deep hole in Sweetbriar Lane last week, the latest in a series of gas main eruptions across the state.
"We need to hear from the gas companies why this is happening and what is being done to fix it," said Finegold, D-Andover, who is chairman of the joint committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy. "Andover is not the first community that has had this happen. It happened in Somerset, it happened in Gloucester, and most recently it happened in Medford."
The Jan. 25, 2009, explosion that destroyed the home of Gloucester police Sgt. Wayne Sargent at 76 Eastern Ave. began a number of gas-main replacement work by National Grid, including most of Eastern Avenue, a several side streets, much of Atlantic Road along the Back Shore, sections of East Main Street and Mount Pleasant Avenue. The gas line along Washington Street, north of Grant Circle, is now being replaced.
Finegold sent a letter to Bay State Gas President Steve Bryant requesting he and other utility representatives attend a Feb. 10 Statehouse hearing to discuss what he suspects is a failed system for monitoring and fixing gas leaks.
"It might be due to aging infrastructure," he said. "The question is what are they doing to monitor things? Could it be prevented?"
Bay State Gas Spokeswoman Sheila Doiron said the company is now updating its leak and maintenance information in order to provide the committee with its most up-to-date statistics.
"It doesn't do anybody any good to operate an unsafe system," said Doiron. "We're certainly open to the informational hearing the chairman is conducting and we're happy to provide any information they're looking for." Doiron said Bay State Gas is required to perform daily leak surveys and file annual reports with the state detailing the number of leaks and repairs the company makes each year.
She said a roughly 15-year infrastructure replacement program has been under way for several years, with cast iron mains installed after World War II the initial targets for replacement.
No one was hurt, but more than 100 Bay State Gas customers were left without service for several hours after last Tuesday's leak on Sweetbriar Lane, a short residential street not far from Lowell Street (Route 133). A Bay State Gas spokesman told The Eagle-Tribune last week that the leak occurred when an end cap failed on a 6-inch high pressure gas main under the road.
The high-pressure gas blew through dirt and pavement above the main, leaving a large hole approximately 25 feet from the foot of Herbert Muller's driveway at 2 Sweetbriar Lane.
Muller, 88, was watching television inside his home when he said he heard a rumbling noise coming from the street. "It sounded like somebody was grinding up a tree," he said.
Andover police Lt. James Hashem said the sound was from the gas being released from the main.
"It sounds like a jet engine going," said Hashem. "It's very loud."
Police, fire and gas company crews were called to the scene about 12:30 p.m. Residents were evacuated and Sweetbriar Lane and some sections of Wild Rose Drive were closed to traffic.
"It's definitely not a common occurrence," said Doiron. "It was a completely controllable event."
In his letter, Finegold wrote that there are 19,000 miles of gas mains across the state and 1.3 million service lines to homes and businesses.
Finegold said it is possible the committee will push for stricter monitoring of utility infrastructure or a more aggressive schedule for repairs.
In addition to Bay State Gas, Finegold's committee is requesting that company presidents or department managers attend the hearing from National Grid, NSTAR Electric & Gas Corporation, Unitil, New England Gas Company, Blackstone Gas Company, Berkshire Gas Company and the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department. The New England Gas Workers Association and other union heads are also expected to attend.
"These are the people we're paying on a monthly basis," said Finegold. "They need to figure out a solution."
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