exploding manholes

Cambridge Police report neighboring businesses were evacuated as a precaution but that there were no injuries.

Matthew Wilding reports a harrowing experience around 12:45 p.m.:

I just almost died when a manhole blew off on Washington st. In front of Dragon Chef.

He reports both he and dog are fine; they were clear when it blew.

Fire in the hole: Dartmouth and Newbury. Photo by roving UHub photographer Penny C.

First around 9:15 at Tremont and Park and then around 11:25 at Dartmouth and Newbury.

Manhole went ka-boom shortly after 1:30 p.m. outside 590 Commonwealth Ave. In possibly related news, the Boston University computer network is down.

A manhole fire right at Brighton and Harvard avenues has caused power outages in the area. The city is also urging motorists to avoid the area, unless they like sitting in gridlock.

SATURDAY MORNING UPDATE: Fire must've done some major damage. A resident of the area around Wood Avenue in Hyde Park reports NStar told her power wouldn't be restored until 2 p.m.

A manhole on Cummins Highway near the Stop & Shop entrance burst into flames around 10:15 p.m., taking down with it power along Hyde Park Avenue between roughly Cummins Highway and American Legion Highway.

The Boston Fire Department reports fire flared up a manhole behind 359 Huntington Ave. this morning when some "penetrating spray" being used by a worker to loosen a bolt on an underground transformer hit a "small torch" and flashed over.

The transformer itself had already been shut down for repairs, the department says. The fire went out by itself and there were no injuries, the department says.

North End Patch reports nobody was injured when manhole covers on Richmond, North and Cross streets began ascending skyward as if moved by an occult hand around 3 p.m.

Firefighters peer down the hole. Photo by Eric Athas.

A manhole burst into flames around 3:45 p.m. right in front of the fire museum on Congress Street, causing traffic and power problems in the area.

At least three manholes along Huntington Ave. exploded this afternoon, sending literal shudders through the nearby 101 Huntington, which has lapsed in and out of electrical service today.

At 3:46, Bonnie O. tweeted:

Why did we just hear and feel an explosion outside from inside 101 Huntington? Fire trucks outside near Marriott.

At NStar's request, Boston firefighters flooded one of the manholes with water. Traffic around the Pru, of course, immediately became a mess - police shut down Huntington and deployed fresh officers to the area to block off roads and try to divert drivers elsewhere.

Power is out along Warren Street from at least Montrose Street to Elm Hill Avenue, where firefighters responded to a report of a flaming manhole shortly before 9 a.m.

Manhole before it shot flames into the air. Photo by SwirlyGrrl.

The Boston Fire Department reports a manhole fire that started around 9:30 a.m. in front of 211 Congress Street knocked out power to the 11-story building and forced its evacuation. Congress and Purchase streets were shut.

Around 10 a.m., Dave reports, an explosion in the hole sent a column of flame 30 feet into the air.

Boston Police tweet manholes exploded this morning at Joy Street and both Mt. Vernon and Pinckney streets.

Salem Insider and Patch Marblehead are reporting underground explosions on Crombie Street in downtown Salem, sending manhole covers into the air and bringing National Grid and fire crews into the area at a rapid pace.

Ryan Westphal tweets the power is now out in his Salem neighborhood.

The Boston Fire Department is being kept busy this evening responding to multiple reports of manhole and power-line issues as overloaded lines give out under all the demand and heat.

Amid all the flooded-basement and accident calls this morning, the Boston Fire Department also had to send crews out to manhole fires at State Street and Surface Road and Allston Street and Comm. Ave.

Soggy hat tip to Prairie Rose Clayton for the headline.

A flaming manhole spread smoke into 61 Brookline Ave. - home of Boston Beer Works - around noon, the Boston Fire Department reports.

The building was evacuated, no major damage done, but one firefighter was taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation of respiratory issues.

Might be good to avoid towns with names beginning with M today:

Channel 4 reports flames shot 20 to 30 feet in the air when manholes exploded on Main Street in Medford around 10:30 a.m. and that several thousand people are now without power.

William Fleurant tweets traffic is, as you might expect, a mess there (where 38, 16 and I-93 come together).

MBTA Police report power went out at the Malden Orange Line station, trapping one person in an elevator.

A manhole fire at Seaver and Maple streets around 9 a.m. knocked out power to the surrounding area and caused a traffic mess.

At 302 Washington St., Boston Police tweet.

Melnea Cass Boulevard and Washington Street in Roxbury around 5:30 p.m., my new obsession tweets.

Steven Walsh captures the aftermath yesterday in front of 124 Harvard St.

Earlier:
Not the first attack for these devious holes in the ground.

Via Neal Simpson.

Jeffrey Marsh tweets:

Boylston Apple Store still closed. Apparently there was a underground fire/manhole cover explosion, knocked the power out on most the block

Wicked Local Brookline reports "geysers of fire" erupted at Pleasant and Browne streets yesterday.

NStar worker injured, but expected to survive the flash fire under Freeport Street.