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Merrimack Valley Explosion Victims In Temporary Trailers Dealing With Frozen Water Lines

LAWRENCE (CBS) – It was another rough night in the Merrimack Valley for many residents who are still without heat two months after a series of fires and explosions in the region. An overnight storm caused new problems for people living in temporary trailers.

The area got a reported eight inches of snow Thursday into Friday.

There are still many families living in temporary trailers in Lawrence because they don't have heat or hot water at home.

merrimack Valley trailer family
A family living in temporary housing in Lawrence. (WBZ-TV)

The bad weather made things worse – the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency says some of the trailers have frozen water lines. Crews have been working on the issue and impacted families were told they could move their belongings into spare trailers on the lot.

Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera said temperatures have warmed as the day went on and the issue has corrected itself.

"All trailers with people held heat. The issue was water. Got an assist from Mother Nature," said Rivera. "Temperatures are rising enough that the issue is naturally going away. Efforts to begin winterizing them had already begun prior to the snow fall. Also, due to the high number of people getting heat and hot water- they are returning to their homes. Plans to scale down, consolidate and break down RV sites have begun."

Kristy Goodwin has been living in a trailer for three weeks and she says this first round of winter weather is a lot to deal with.

"I can't really explain how it is I don't even have water. It froze last night and yeah I haven't had water all day," she said.

"The heat's been kicking on and off. I guess they didn't do any winterizing of the trailers before they put them in here. I don't know why not – it's New England."

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