Just before 7 p.m. on Sunday evening, pedestrians in New York City’s Times Square were sent running for their lives, after hearing what seemed to be a huge explosion. Videos on social media show the scenes of panic when the explosion occurred in the busy shopping and tourist area. Dark grey smoke could be seen filling the air and the crowds scrambled for safety, unaware of what was happening.
The noise was heard for several blocks and frightened hundreds of people, who ran screaming away from the blast. Some people who were on the famous ruby-red stairs, which serve as the TKTS booth in Father Duffy Square, had to first run down the steps toward the sound, and then turn and run in the opposite direction. The area at 43rd Street and Broadway was then cordoned off by police.
The spokesperson for energy provider Con Edison, Karl-Erik Stromsta, said that cable failure was the cause of the manhole explosions and fires. Police and fire officials said that no injuries were reported.
Firefighters responding to the scene found three manhole fires near the Hard Rock Cafe and registered elevated levels of carbon monoxide at a nearby site.
According to the Mayor’s Management Report, released last year by former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office, the number of manhole fires in New York City has more than doubled in the past two years.
Whether the manhole covers were water, gas, sewer or subway manhole covers was not immediately known and there were no reports of customer power outages.
