Gas company shuts down regulatory station after Fairport Harbor fires

FAIRPORT HARBOR, OHio - A day after several houses in Fairport Harbor caught fire during a natural gas surge , the gas company continues to inspect buildings.

Roughly 80 Dominion East Ohio workers checked 1,400 homes in the area Monday night and into Tuesday morning, according to the company. Over the course of the on Tuesday, the company hopes to check out the remaining 65 houses.

The fires started just before 7 a.m. Monday in the Lake County community and crews were on the scene within 15 minutes. About 30 people called 911 , reporting the odor of natural gas. Currently, 23 homes have been damaged or destroyed, but that number could rise.

Investigators pinpointed the origin of high gas pressure in Fairport Harbor fires, but still no cause. Crews crammed around a yellow box-like structure on High Street, called a district regulator station.

On Tuesday, Dominion said crews have been checking gas lines and gas appliances, as well turning off service to each home. The company plans to inspect the 78,000 feet of gas lines that run throughout Fairport Harbor and has reviewed the three regulatory stations in the village.

"Although the company does not have a definitive cause of the incident, the company has taken the third Fairport Harbor regulator station out of service for the foreseeable future, and we are running the system with the two remaining regulators," the gas company said in a statement on Tuesday.

Crews with the Division of State Fire Marshals were also on the scene Tuesday.

The Red Cross has been working with the 20 families that have been displaced after the blasts caused structural damage to their homes. No one was injured during the fires.

"Our claims department is diligently responding to calls that have come in from residents regarding damage to their homes, appliances or other property. We are also reaching out to those residents who are currently unable to be in their homes, so that we can help them in resolving any issues that they have," said Dominion East Ohio in a statement.

Fairport Harbor Dominion East Ohio customers who have not been in contact with the company should call 1-800-362-7557.