One Month After Gas Explosions, Daily Life Is Still Difficult in Merrimack Valley

For Carmela Cestrone, it's been a whole new way of life after the Merrimack Valley gas explosions that took place one month ago on Saturday.

“I’m cooking on that electric thing they gave me -- a hot plate,” she said. “It’s fine, it’s food, and you eat it.”

Keeping warm is also a change. She often relies on her electric blanket. Bathing is also now a long process that involves filling up plastic containers with water that she then heats up.

“My husband takes one [container] every morning into the bathroom and shaves and all that stuff, and if I need hot water I do the same thing,” she said.

Cestrone is among the many in the Merrimack Valley left without gas by the Sept. 13 gas line incident.

“You make the best of it,” said Cestrone. “What can you do? This is life, these things happen in life and you have to go with them.”

Columbia Gas still says Nov. 19 is its target date to have all of the damaged pipeline replaced and the gas turned back on.

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