Governor meets with merchants to plan support, with 100 Andover businesses closed due to gas disaster,

 

Speaking after a business meeting in Andover Wednesday morning are, from left, Gov. Charlie Baker, Andover Town Manager Andrew Flanagan and state Housing and Economic Development Director Jay Ash.
courtesy photo

 

ANDOVER — Gov. Charlie Baker and Housing and state Economic Development Director Jay Ash met with Andover Town Manager Andrew Flanagan and local business owners Wednesday morning to discuss economic issues in the wake of last week's gas explosions.

"I appreciate the decision of the town manager to bring folks together this morning to talk about some of the on the ground issues that businesses are facing," Baker said.
State and local leaders said they are working to establish a timeline to get businesses crippled by the disaster back up and running.

Flanagan said Andover's entire downtown is in the area affected by the disaster, with about 100 businesses and 67 food establishments currently closed.

"In the coming days, I hope (we) are able to publicly announce a plan for restoration and to get these businesses open," Flanagan said.

Baker said the process for damage assessment and mitigation will "be in many respects, a house to house, building to building, business to business type activity."

"We're looking to get that started as soon as we have the resources marshaled to do it."

A complete report will appear in Thursday's print edition of The Eagle-Tribune and online at eagletribune.com.