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Underground Fire Shuts Down Several Blocks In Midtown Manhattan

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Several blocks in Midtown Manhattan were shutdown for a short time Monday afternoon as smoke poured from underground.

CBS2's Tracee Carrasco reported 8th Avenue was shut down from 50th to 53rd Streets due to an underground fire.

Cellphone video shows firefighters putting out the blaze before 4 p.m. The fire appears to have started underneath some metal plates on 8th Avenue and 51st Street.

Witnesses told Carrasco that crews weren't doing any work underneath those plates at the time, but possibly a gas line somewhere else may have been hit.

Con Edison is at the scene to investigate.

Even though 8th Avenue has since re-opened, traffic is backed up.

 

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