Columbia Gas Appoints Ret. Navy Captain to Oversee Disaster Recovery
More coverage in our ongoing coverage of the aftermath resulting from a chain-reaction of explosions in local natural gas delivery pipelines about 25 miles north of Boston (see Local NatGas Pipes Explode Near Boston Killing 1, Injuring 25). The explosions and resulting fires tragically killed one teenager and injured 25 others. It left some 8,600 households and businesses without natural gas–for up to two months. Can you imagine not being able to cook meals, or heat your home, because of no natural gas? What will those people do in the meantime? Columbia Gas (part of NiSource), whose pipelines are the ones that exploded, began distributing some 7,000 electric hot plates over the weekend. Gov. Charlie Baker mobilized the Massachusetts National Guard to help. Since Gov. Baker also requested an “outside contractor” to take charge of the situation, Columbia announced they have appointed retired Navy Captain Joe Albanese, founder and CEO of Commodore Builders (a construction management firm) to become the Chief Recovery Officer in attempting to put Humpty Dumpty back together again. Assisting Captain Albanese will be retired Rear Admiral Richard Cellon, president of Cellon and Associates. Cellon has loads of experience in construction in the Middle East–helping war-torn areas recover. It’s already getting cold in New England, so beginning this week Columbia has a hoard of electricians, plumbers, and “assessors” working to assess and install some 24,000 space heaters in homes. It’s no small feat. Local fire departments are involved to ensure the space heaters don’t create a fire hazard…
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