An FDNY EMS worker and a firefighter were injured after multiple manhole explosions Sunday.
Crews responded to smoke coming from multiple manholes 56th Street, between 1st and 2nd avenues, in Manhattan shortly before 5 a.m., according to the FDNY. Searches when done throughout buildings on each side of the street, and the situation seemed to be under control after firefighters had been on the scene for about three hours.
"During that time, at about 7:40, we had an explosion in one of the manholes which escalated the incident," Deputy Assistant Chief John Sarrocco stated in an online update. "We had multiple power outages with rising CO levels in various buildings."
“Units responded in about three minutes. They got on scene and found multiple manholes with smoke issuing from them. We...
Posted by New York City Fire Department (FDNY) on Sunday, February 28, 2021
Following the explosion, the incident was raised to three alarms, with around 150 firefighters responding. They did extensive building searches, checking elevators and individuals with life-support systems because of the power outages.
The explosion injured an EMS worker, and a firefighter was hurt in the ensuing operation, which Sarrocco described as "long and extensive." A ConEd worker also suffered injuries in the explosion.
"Manhole fires spike in New York City in the winter season, particularly following a snowfall, when salt is applied to the road surface," the FDNY stated.
"(Carbon monoxide) is deadly, and in the case of a manhole fire, CO accumulation may potentially lead to an explosion," the department added.
