Caught on camera: Underground explosion

An underground explosion that blew the cover off a manhole in Brooklyn was caught on camera.

Black smoke could be seen flowing from a manhole just before one of the explosions happened Monday morning.

Witnesses also reported seeing flames coming from underground.

Emergency personnel were already on the scene investigating a smoldering manhole on one street when a cover blew off a block away.

It hit an elderly man when it came down again.

"I actually witnessed it, the manhole, we were on the block, a block away but the manhole cover was probably 40-50 feet in the air and when it landed it unfortunately struck this man,” said Stephen Corcoran of FDNY Battalion 32.

The man was taken to a hospital and is expected to recover.

The only other injury was to a woman cut by flying glass in her apartment.

The underground explosions shattered windows up and down the street.

A spokesperson for Con Edison said the fire was probably sparked by melting snow combined with street salt getting into the electrical system.



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