Massachusetts Residents Now In Sticker Shock After Gas Explosion

For some, the huge bills have arrived without warning.

New bills are out for Merrimack Valley residents after one man was killed and dozens injured in explosions last fall. According to WGME News 13, many households in the Merrimack Valley of Massachusetts are outraged over the totals. Shane Nevins of North Andover, MA was quoted in the report "We got a huge bill in the mail -- $243 from out of nowhere, and we're on a payment plan. And they're like, 'You've got until the 20th to pay it."

According to WGME, Columbia Gas suspended billing while recovering from the crisis, but a spokesman pointed out billing information was available on the company's website. Company spokesman Scott Ferson said "It was clear on the website and if they called Columbia Gas if they had not received a bill, why they have not received a bill." He added "Columbia Gas works all the time with customers over how to pay it over a period of time so nobody should worry about that and certainly in the winter, no one is danger of having their gas cut off.” Nevins suggested informing customers via the web wasn't enough. "I mean, thousands of people in these towns that were affected and they didn't tell anybody except over a website?"

Customers whose gas service was interrupted did receive a credit. Nevis told WGME his was $13.