Gas Explosion Settlement Payments Will Range From $50 To $15,000

ANDOVER, MA — Plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit against Columbia Gas f Massachusetts would receive payments ranging from $50 for a “nominal disruption” to $15,000 for a “major disruption” during last year’s natural gas explosions in Andover, North Andover and Lawrence. The plan for the previously-announced $143 million settlement was filed in Essex Superior Court Wednesday. The explosions killed one and left thousands of people displaced from their homes for several months.

Plaintiffs lawyers would receive about $28 million of the settlement. As many as 175,000 people in the three communities may be eligible to make claims under the lawsuit, even if they have not previously joined the class action lawsuit.

The class action lawsuit is separate from settlements Columbia Gas and its parent company, NiSource Inc., reached with the three communities, as well astute family of Leonel Rondon, the 18-year-old Lawrence man killed last Sept. 13. A hearing on the plan is scheduled for Oct. 7.