According to a report from KTVU, three manholes caught fire at around 6:45 p.m. Sunday evening in Manhattan’s Times Square, causing a loud bang that sent tourists and New Yorkers scrambling away from the scene. The incident occurred on W. 43rd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues, a time when the area is packed with tourists, according to the Fire Department of New York (FDNY).
An FDNY official said there were no injuries from the incident, and their firefighters found elevated carbon monoxide levels near where the explosions occurred and are now in the process of venting the area.
From fiscal year 2020 to 2021, New York City experienced a doubling of manhole fires, jumping to 6,104 last year, according to the Mayor’s Management report released in 2021.
Manhole fires often occur when gas builds up underground and is ignited by an electrical short circuit, creating an explosion through the path of least resistance, which is usually the manhole.
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