Residents of Merrimack Valley, Massachusetts will learn first-hand about the natural gas explosion that rocked their area last year from the federal agency that investigated the incident.

In a community outreach event scheduled for this Friday, Oct. 25, at 3 p.m., the Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will discuss the agency’s completed investigation of the Sept. 13, 2018 natural gas fueled explosions and fires.

Death and destruction

The incident killed one person, injured 22 others and damaged 131 structures in the city of Lawrence and the towns of Andover and North Andover.

The briefing is designed to provide interested community members with information about the NTSB’s investigation of the accident and the safety recommendations the agency issued based upon its investigation.

Other invited guests who will provide information to attendees include:

• Senator Ed Markey
• Representative Lori Trahan
• Matt Nelson, Chair of the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities; and
• Dan Rivera, Mayor, Lawrence, Massachusetts.

The abstract of the final report is available online at https://go.usa.gov/xVdTY and previously released public information about the NTSB’s investigation of the accident is available online at https://go.usa.gov/xVpR5.

When and where

The briefing will take place at the Lawrence Public Library, Sargent Auditorium, 51 Laurence Street, Lawrence, MA 01841. It will be on Friday, Oct. 25, 2019, 3 p.m. (EDT).

Seating at the Sargent Auditorium is limited to 350 people and is available on a first come, first served basis. No webcast or livestream of the briefing is planned.

About NTSB

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent federal agency charged with determining the probable cause of transportation accidents, promoting transportation safety, and assisting victims of transportation accidents and their families.