Three firefighters are recovering after multiple manholes caught fire in Mott Haven, according to News 12 New York. The station reported that the blaze started just before 5 a.m. Monday in front of 262 Cypress Avenue in the Bronx, and that it drove up carbon monoxide levels in the surrounding area.
Fire officials say three separate and possibly gas-fed manhole fires erupted, News 12 reported, one of which spread to a car above. The blaze also left several people without power, which Con Edison says has since been restored.
A witness told News 12 they heard two loud explosions before looking outside to see smoke everywhere and an odor in the air. The person likened manhole covers exploding in the city to an earthquake, calling it very loud, scary and dangerous.
According to the FDNY, 79 fire and EMS personnel responded to the scene along with Con Edison crews, News 12 reported. It took firefighters around two and a half hours to bring the flames under control.
The FDNY says the three firefighters all suffered minor injuries and were taken to local hospitals for treatment, according to News 12. The station reported that they were recovering after the incident.