BOSTON (WHDH) - Two manhole covers have exploded in Boston during the morning commute, according to the city’s police department.
A call came in at 8:40 a.m. that the covers had exploded at the intersection of Summer Street and High Street. Boston Police officers were on scene to assist with traffic control.
According to the Boston Fire Department, crews responded to 10 High St. near South Station for two manhole fires, which shattered the window of the building. That building, as well as 175 Federal St., was evacuated due to high levels of carbon monoxide.
Firefighters used foam to knock back the underground flames.
According to Boston EMS, a woman was transported to Tufts Medical Center via an advanced life support ambulance for burn injuries, possibly for a steam burn.
One witness said she was “terrified” by the incident.
“All of a sudden there was a loud boom, and sparks came shooting out of the manhole cover,” she added.
She said she saw the injured woman, who was 5 or 10 feet away from the explosion, get knocked to the ground.
The fire department checked both buildings for carbon monoxide levels, and had not yet determined that the building is safe for occupation. The Boston Fire Chief added that the cover went “several feet” into the air. He also said that the explosion could have been caused by high energy usage at the time, especially given the recent warm weather.
A similar incident happened a few weeks ago on Boylston Street.
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