CANTON, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- Residents who did not think the gas company was doing enough after a gas leak in Canton left bubbles gurgling through cracks on the street are now relieved after action is being taken.
Along York Street this weekend, gas could be seen bubbling in cracks underneath the street. It was a sight and sound that gripped the neighborhood with fear.
"I was very concerned, because I was afraid that there was going to be an explosion on the street," resident John Oliveira said.
Columbia Gas Company told FOX25 that was extremely unlikely. They told residents this was a medium to low-level threat, one that would be fixed within 21 days.
To Oliveira, that's not good enough.
"I feel that maybe it's something that should be taken care of right away," he said.
On Sunday, a FOX25 viewer asked us to look into the issue. We did, and within hours, crews were on scene.
But where one problem is fixed, many others linger.
Harvard researcher Kathryn McKain tests the air for methane gas emissions around Boston.
"We have more gas leaks in Boston due to our older infrastructure," she said.
These leaks are concerning for multiple reasons, according to McKain, including safety, waste of resources and climate impact, she said.
The Harvard team found that natural gas is escaping into the air around Boston, and two to three percent of it doesn't stay in the pipes where it belongs.
Much of what escapes is due to gas leaks, like the one in Canton. And though the amount may seem small, it's actually roughly enough to fuel 200,000 to 300,000 homes, McKain said.
That amount of natural gas is worth $90 million, just in the Boston area alone. And that's a cost that eventually makes its way to consumers.
Boston's pipeline infrastructure could use an upgrade.
But in Oliveira's corner of the world, at least, he said the fix here has offered some peace of mind for now.
Cox Media Group
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