BOSTON (WHDH) - Authorities believe recent rain and a cable failure may have been the cause of what witnesses say were multiple manhole explosions that occurred near Northeastern University.
Police taped off a section of St. Stephen Street Wednesday morning as Eversource workers surveyed the scene by Opera Place. The Boston Police Department confirmed that officers responded to the intersection for an apparent manhole explosion, and that traffic was being diverted during the late morning hours.
Footage shared with 7NEWS showed the aftermath of at least one of the explosions, which left asphalt and other debris scattered on the road as smoke billowed out from underground.
One witness described hearing a boom, then finding dirt flung onto her window before hearing another explosion. She said a friend later informed her that a third explosion had occurred, as well.
“I just heard a big bang – I thought it was like a gunshot, and then I looked outside and I thought the car had exploded, but it was actually the ground,” said student Ankita Mallik, describing the blast that appeared to happen beneath a Jeep parked on the side of the street. “The whole building, this whole block shook.”
“I retreated back there, I heard the third [explosion] – you know, I’m getting out of here,” another student told 7NEWS.
By 12:30 p.m., multiple Eversource crews could be seen working in the vicinity.
Eversource officials told 7NEWS they believed excess rain and a cable failure triggered the blasts, while noting the affected area had new “energy-release manhole covers” in place, ensuring the manhole cover did not go flying into the surrounding area.
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