Watch Where You're Blowin', Manhole
November 2, 2011 at 6:53 pm
As reported by the DP, there was a gas explosion at 34th and Ludlow Street. Students on the scene sent this picture of this poor little manhole, the only known casualty of the explosion.
Be sure to tip us if you've got any more details and check back for the latest updates, such as eyewitness testimonies after the jump!
According to one tipster:
I witnessed the gas explosion firsthand! It was actually possibly the scariest moment of my life. I got off of septa on 34th and market and there was yellow caution tape around the area with some policemen. This was around 4:50pm. There was a huge amount of fire coming out of the hole. All of a sudden there was a huge boom louder than anything I'd ever heard and debris flew all over the sidewalk, but I didn't see anyone get hurt. Scariest thing ever!!! It was very chaotic... people were kind of running around every which way because they were afraid it would happen again.
I was standing about 50 yards from the scene. There were fire and city officials on scene performing what appeared to be a controlled burn of a manhole. Suddenly, the flame disappeared and there was a incredibly deep boom. A second manhole cover blew at least 40 feet in the air. The firemen were not alarmed [and] chuckling at the pedestrians startled response.