Heat Turned Off For Hundreds Of Residents

HULL, Mass. -- More than 300 homes in Hull will be without heat Friday as crews work to correct a gas distribution problem.

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Keyspan officials said that workers stopped gas flowing into about 325 homes in the Hull Village area as they try to correct the problem. Residents are being urged to seek shelter at the Hull Memorial School at 81 Central Ave.

The gas will not be turned back on until officials gain access to each home to restart the pilot lights, according to Hull Fire Department Chief Robert Hollingshead.

"(Crews) need to go to every location. The gas company has been working feverishly through this whole process. They have all their crews here. They need to shut off all the meters at every house before they can turn the gas back on in the streets,"

"I was waiting for a gas man to come look at my furnace, and needless to say, he can't come inspect it because there is no gas," resident Tom Means said. "It's below freezing in the house right now."

Means said that the gas problem has been building for several weeks since the first cold snap.

"Pressure has been low for two weeks. I think there's been something wrong out there for a couple of weeks and the ground has been so cold, it's been keeping everything down below and finally it let go," he said.

Officials are concerned about frozen pipes.

"The gas company is well in tune to that. It's why they have a tremendous work force working on that. They've even contacted plumbers to get people here. We have the emergency shelter open for that very reason. It's a serious problem, but everyone is working as diligently as they can," Hollingshead said.

Residents will questions or concerns can call (800) 233-5325 for more information.