On February 12, 2020, Essex County Superior Court Judge Lang granted final approval of Plaintiffs’ $143 million settlement agreement with Columbia Gas that will be used to compensate individuals and businesses within the class who were impacted by the natural gas explosions that occurred on September 13, 2018.
Berman Tabacco serves on the Executive Committee and Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in this consolidated class action lawsuit against Bay State Gas Company (doing business as Columbia Gas of Massachusetts) and NiSource, Inc. (collectively “Columbia Gas”) and certain Columbia Gas contractors, for their alleged failure to properly maintain natural gas pipelines servicing parts of the Merrimack Valley area of Massachusetts. As alleged, due to this failure, the Massachusetts towns of Andover, North Andover, and Lawrence suffered a series of natural gas explosions on September 13, 2018 caused by a sudden spike in pressure within the gas pipelines that created ruptures in them and filled homes and businesses with large amounts of natural gas that ultimately ignited.
As reported, there were at least 60 explosions in the three towns affected by the disaster. One death and several injuries have been reported and 12 homes were destroyed. In addition, more than 8,000 people were forced to flee their homes because of the dangers posed by the ruptured gas lines. A local fire chief described the scene as “Armageddon.”
The cases are Accomando v. Bay State Gas Company, No. 18-77CV01355B (Mass. Super. Ct. Essex County), and In re: Columbia Gas Cases, No. 18-77CV01343G (Mass. Super. Ct. Essex County). The litigation team includes Bryan A. Wood and Nathaniel L. Orenstein from Berman Tabacco’s Boston office.