Manhole Fire Causes Explosions Around Coney Island Avenue & Cortelyou Road, Leaves Area Without Power

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EXhxc-FKdo&feature=youtu.be

A three-manhole fire that originated at 667 Coney Island Avenue, between Avenue C and Cortelyou Road, rocked our neighborhood with bursts of flames and frighteningly loud explosions, beginning just after 11:30pm Thursday evening, Con Edison and neighbors told us.

When we reached the NYPD about the fire last night, police said they, thankfully, had no reports of injuries at that time, and we’ve also reached out to the FDNY for more information this morning.

The fire has taken out power for much of the area around Coney Island Avenue and Cortelyou, including the traffic lights at that intersection, and Con Edison spokesman Sydney Alvarez told us there are 146 customers without power in the neighborhood. Coney Island Avenue, between Cortelyou and Ditmas, remains closed off to drivers, snarling traffic throughout the area.

After the fire began around 11:30pm last night (with the largest explosion happening just before 12:30am), the fire continued for hours afterward, neighbors told us.

“It was insane,” said neighbor Roxana Cosme, who sent us the above video of an explosion at Cortelyou Road and Coney Island Avenue.

Neighbor Maureen Flaherty told us via Twitter that Con Ed crews have been working at Slocum and Coney Island Avenue (right near where the fire originated) for months, and said that last night many units in her building had flickering lights from beginning around 10pm.

The Con Ed spokesman said that while the cause for this specific fire has not been determined, the numerous manhole fires (including in Park Slope and Sheepshead Bay) that have happened throughout the city in recent days are attributed to snow runoff saturated with salt entering the electrical system.

Neighbor Sarah Powers told us she was on the south side of Cortelyou Road, between E. 9th Street and Coney Island Avenue, when she saw smoke coming from three spots along the street – the northwest and southwest corners of E. 9th and Coney Island Avenue, as well as in front of George’s (753 Coney Island Avenue).

“At first, I could see yellow flames underground at the NW corner manhole, and just smoke from the others,” Sarah wrote to us. “Then I saw flames and heavy smoke at the SW corner. Then the one in front of George’s starting making noises, followed by heavy smoke and yellow flames. It was at that point that I called it a night.”

Numerous neighbors reported hearing the main explosion just before 12:30am, with Sarah saying it “was strong enough to rattle my fourth floor windows and set off nearby car alarms.”

The Con Edison spokesman stressed that anyone who sees smoke or hears rumbling noises coming from a manhole should immediately call 911.

We will let you know as soon as we receive any more information about this. If you were at the scene last night and have any more information or photos you’d like to share, you can email us at editor@ditmasparkcorner.com.