Families displaced in Ewing gas explosion to return home later this year

It's been more than a year since a deadly gas explosion displaced several Ewing residents from their homes. Some families have already returned to their homes, while others should be allowed to move back in just in time for Thanksgiving, NJ Advance Media has reported.

According to NJ Advance Media, the first set of displaced homeowners began moving back in September. Of the 17 remaining homes, six should be done by the end of May. The other 11 houses are total rebuilds and will take about another seven months to complete.

The explosion, which took place on March 4, 2014, destroyed or damaged 130 homes in the South Fork Development in Ewing. It killed killed 62-year-old Linda Cerritelli and injured seven utility workers.

Al Pellegrino, of P&A Management which manages the condo complex, told NJ Advance Media that work "was delayed on two units under repair because they were waiting on PSE&G to install two gas lines and foundation work had to be done on the rebuilds before the framing could begin."

After two false starts with other contractors who has been hired to help rebuild the homes, GC3, an Iowa-based disaster restoration company, was hired in mid-July to take on the project.

In March of this year, two companies -- Pipeline company Henkels & McCoy and PSE&G -- agreed to pay New Jersey a total of $1.6 million and to also implement safety procedures for problems found when the explosion was investigated.