Explosion blows off manhole cover in Midtown
NEW YORK -- There was an explosion in a manhole in Midtown on Friday afternoon.
A secondary fireball followed, along with flames and heavy black smoke, snarling traffic on 11th Avenue at West 56th Street.
Con Edison was working in that location when the manhole started smoking.
The FDNY says the manhole cover blew straight up and happened to hit a streetlight pole, causing it to fall back down and preventing nearby pedestrians or drivers from possibly getting hit.
