Some Residents Cleared To Return Home After Merrimack Valley Gas Explosions

ANDOVER (CBS) - After thousands of people across South Lawrence, Andover and North Andover were evacuated from their homes Thursday, the process started overnight of allowing some of those residents home.

About 8,600 customers in the three communities were forced from their homes when an emergency situation with gas lines made it unsafe for them to stay. Approximately 60-to-80 fires and explosions broke out, nearly simultaneously, in homes serviced by Columbia Gas. One young man died, and more than a dozen others were injured.

Early Friday morning, some residents in Andover were told they could return to their homes. People who live south of the intersection of Route 28 & Salem Street in Andover were allowed to return, after it was determined that area was unaffected by the gas line danger. To see the specific streets that have been cleared, click this link. The list is being updated throughout the day.

In North Andover, several streets were cleared Friday morning as well. That list is being updated at this link.

Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera said the situation in his city is complicated, and no residents of South Lawrence (south of the river) were being allowed back into their homes Friday morning.

Residents whose gas was turned off were warned not to turn it back on, but rather wait for a technician to safely return service.

Residents whose gas was turned off were warned not to turn it back on, but rather wait for a technician to safely return service.

Crews are still going door to door, with firefighters and police officers, to turn off gas at each impacted home.