Winter worries loom for broken, gasless homes in Lawrence

LAWRENCE, Mass. — By sunrise Thursday, temperatures will be in the low 30s, but with the wind it will feel even colder.

It's a reality that has many in Lawrence scrambling to find last minute solutions to their heating problems.

Since September 13, when gas fires ripped across the Merrimack Valley, life has been tough for Carla Ortega Diaz and families like hers.

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

"I cry almost every single day," she said. "I help my family in my country and I haven’t sent money since that happened -- very difficult."

They’re staying in a hotel until their heat is restored. But Diaz Ortega’s friend, a mother of three is still in her Crosby street home and with cold weather knocking on their door.

They came to Columbia Gas's mobile resource center Wednesday looking for help.

"They had to sleep together so they could stay warm," Diaz Ortega said. "It’s very difficult, very frustrating."

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Knowing the temperatures were falling, Columbia Gas has offered thousands of blankets, space heaters and provided temporary shelter in hotels, apartments and trailers.

"There’s about 6,000 people who have chosen alternate housing, but we really thought there would be more by now and we really want people to be warm and have hot showers," Columbia Gas representative Judy Rakowsky said.

MORE: 25 Investigates: Gas company found at fault in past explosion events

But many who sought help told Boston 25 News they want to stay in their homes.

"We really don’t want to leave the house, we don’t know what we are gonna do," Lawrence resident Alicia Lugo told us.

Lugo says she wants answers about when Columbia Gas crews will assess her son’s home. She's worried about the cold the next few days and the weeks beyond.

MORE: Gas restoration in Merrimack Valley could take several months, Columbia Gas says

Cox Media Group