WOBURN (WBZ-AM) -- Three hundred homes were temporarily without natural gas service Monday afternoon after a overpressurization issue.
National Grid says a technician inadvertently sent excess gas into a station at Wyman and Hart Streets around 11:30 a.m. The company said the problem was quickly recognized and pressure was reduced.
"As a precaution, and to confirm that there is no damage to the system, gas has been shut off to these 300 properties," National Grid said in their statement. "Service technicians will be turning off meters and assessing the system before beginning relights later today. National Grid apologizes for the inconvenience."
At a press conference Monday afternoon, National Grid spokesperson Christine Mulligan was asked if this situation was at all similar to the one that triggered the Merrimack Valley gas explosions last month.
"That incident is completely unrelated to National Grid," she said. "We're taking care of this and we have the situation well under control."
Woburn Fire Chief Stephen Adgate said he got chest pains when he heard the calls coming in Monday afternoon, concerned it could be like September's incidents in Lawrence, Andover, and North Andover.
"We're confident from a fire department perspective that the process in place is going according to plan," he said. "We have no issues, but we do recommend that if anybody does smell gas around their homes, that they don't hesitate to call us so we can go out and make sure that everything's going to be safe."
She said crews were expected to re-light lines late Monday evening to Tuesday morning.
Locked-out National Grid workers commented on the incident, tweeting, "This is when you want your trained and experienced work force."
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe (@KimWBZ) reports