More than 200 without heat and hot water due to Roxbury gas leak

More than 200 Roxbury residents will spend the holidays without heat and hot water tonight after a gas leak was reported last week in one of the area’s home developments.

A small army of plumbers and maintenance officials have been replacing hundreds of valves to boilers and heaters throughout each unit in Academy Homes, while a spokesman for the development says a quarter of residents are staying with family elsewhere.

"I feel bad because I have children here and no heat," said Abdi Hussein, a resident of the Academy Homes.

An elderly woman who has lived in the development for over a decade says she’s yet to receive the space heaters or hot plates being delivered by the management company to people in units.

Boston Inspectional Services workers and National Grid, which is the supplier for Academy Homes, have been on scene and are working with management to get heat and hot water restored.

>>>MORE: Traffic detoured as Columbia Gas works on suspected gas leak in Medfield

Urban Edge co-owns the 60-year-old complex along with residents, its interim CEO tells Boston 25 News.

"We are in contact with the residents and are keeping them up to date to the best of our ability," said Marty Jones, the interim CEO of Urban Edge. "We value the health and safety of our residents, and we look forward to resolving this challenge as soon as possible."

A spokesman for Academy Homes says there will be two dozen plumbers and technicians here on Christmas continuing this effort.

A pressure test will need to be done to make sure it’s safe. If successful, heat and hot water will be restored – possibly within two days.

>>>MORE: Missing instructions caused deadly gas explosions, NTSB report says

Cox Media Group