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Exploding manholes

By adamg - 8/30/23 - 10:11 am
Smoke belching manhole

Smoke-belching manhole. Photo by Matty Wags.

Cambridge Police report a manhole exploded on Brattle Street in Harvard Square around 8:34 a.m. No injuries, but "Harvard Square is closed to vehicle traffic, and pedestrian traffic is restricted" and, really, police would prefer if you avoided the square altogether, even if you are parents moving your kid into a Harvard dorm. Read more.

By adamg - 8/23/23 - 9:47 pm
Smoking manhole

Smoking manhole and its newly upside-down cover. Photo by Shamus Moynihan.

Shamus Moynihan reports that a manhole exploded at Atlantic Avenue and Commercial Wharf around 7:30 p.m., sending smoke 30 feet into the air and ejecting its heavy cover hard enough it flew up then came down and landed top down back on the hole. "Luckily, no one was hurt," he says.

By adamg - 3/2/23 - 10:41 am

The Cambridge Fire Department reports a manhole blew its lid at Rindge Avenue and Sherman Street shortly before 7:30 a.m. Eversource was summoned to take care of what was left of their exploded cable.

By adamg - 7/12/22 - 6:15 pm

A manhole exploded shortly before 6 p.m. at Cambridge and Bowdoin streets, sending two Eversource workers to Mass. General, one with life-threatening injuries, and creating massive traffic issues in the area. Read more.

By adamg - 6/2/22 - 9:06 am
Firefighters at manhole explosion scene

Downtown workers and residents got a jolt this morning when two manholes blew up at Summer and High streets shortly before 8:40 a.m. One person was injured. Read more.

By adamg - 5/17/22 - 4:46 pm
Flaming manhole on Boylston Street

The Boston Fire Department reports a couple of manholes on Boylston Street near Fairfield Street belched flames around 12:45 p.m., causing no injuries but startling passersby. Read more.

By adamg - 8/19/21 - 8:39 pm
Firefighters respond to Lake Street

Shortly before 5 p.m., DB Reiff urged motorists to avoid Lake Street in Brighton on account of how several manholes along the street caught fire around the same time. Utility crews had been working in the area, she reports.

By adamg - 1/13/20 - 8:45 am
Intersection of School and Tremont streets blocked off

Smoke-belching aftermath. Photo by Kelley Duff.

But Susan Tran reports that's where a manhole burst into flames and began to smoke this morning. Firefighters in action.

By adamg - 12/4/19 - 7:02 pm

Matthew Touchette reports the area around the intersection of Rte. 9 and Cypress street is closed off, and firefighters are going door to door, following manhole explosions there.

By adamg - 7/11/19 - 9:19 am
Part of Dorchester in the dark after manhole explodes

Lindsey_ericax shows us Train and King streets in Dorchester after a manhole exploded around 11 p.m. on Wednesday.

By adamg - 2/11/19 - 1:35 pm

Boston firefighters are on Columbus Avenue in the area of Isabella Street, where two manholes exploded in flames around 1:25 p.m.

Jan reported hearing a "GIANT boom."

By adamg - 9/13/18 - 7:29 pm

Ed. note: Post updated with fact it was steam, not smoke from a fire.

The Cambridge Fire Department reports what appeared to be smoke was actually just steam from a manhole at Land Boulevard and the Monsignor O'Brien Highway shortly after 7 p.m.

Still, police shut the roads down by the Museum of Science as a precaution until firefighters could confirm that.

By adamg - 8/23/18 - 11:36 pm

At D and West 1st streets shortly after 11 p.m., at least two and possibly three (photo of one explosion). Read more.

By adamg - 7/8/18 - 11:14 pm

Matthew Gregoire surveys the scene at North Marginal and Cooper streets.

By adamg - 7/5/18 - 8:36 pm
Smoking manhole in Back Bay

Harry Grillo reports Boston firefighters are outside the BPL's Boylston Street entrance, where a manhole began getting all nasty around 8:30 p.m.

Alexandra Zafris reports: Read more.

By adamg - 12/10/17 - 9:29 am
Smoking Lake Street manhole

KMV shows us one of the three manholes on Lake Street that burst into flames shortly before 8 a.m.

UPDATE: Greater Boston Radio reports inspectors cleared the three manholes and ordered the power back on - and three manholes one street over promptly blew up.

By adamg - 9/27/17 - 10:05 pm

The Cambridge Fire Department reports a manhole at Cambridge and Tremont streets exploded around 8:50 p.m.

Inman Square went dark.

Eversource reports it hopes to have power restored by 10:45 p.m.

By adamg - 7/11/17 - 8:32 pm

Firefighters and utility crews are at Tremont and Parrker streets, where a manhole burst into flames around 8 p.m. Tremont was shut in both directions.

By adamg - 4/7/17 - 2:01 pm

No injuries, but several businesses along Centre Street near the Bank of America parking lot lost power when the manhole lost its top, Ted Cooper reports.

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