Exploding Manholes Knock Out Power At Two Local Businesses

Two manhole covers erupted Monday morning at a busy commercial intersection near Sheepshead Bay Road and East 14th Street, Con Edison confirmed.

The explosions were reported at 8:10am and knocked out power at two nearby businesses throughout the day, a Con Ed spokesperson said. A neighbor sent us photos of maintenance crews working around the open sewers near the CVS Pharmacy during the evening.

Con Edison did not specify which businesses were affected, but reported that power was restored at 7:15pm.

New York City experienced a surge in exploding manholes after the record-breaking blizzard that arrived in late January. NBC New York reports there were 400 manhole fires reported in the city between Friday, January 22 and Wednesday, January, 27. A spokesperson for Con Edison told the news station that water runoff from melting snow mixed with salt can trigger a spark in the electrical cables under the street.

Manhole fires can become more frequent during wet winter and summer months. There was a similar proliferation of exploding manholes during this time last year. A spokesperson for Con Edison told us last year that 99 percent of manhole fires are caused by weather. The salt used to keep roads from icing over acts as a conductor for electricity — making it easier for a fire to occur. The smoke trapped builds up in the sewers until the pressure causes a manhole to pop out of the ground, the spokesperson said.