Schools Closed, Power Restored After Explosions In Red Bank

Power was restored Monday after underground power lines caught fire and caused manholes and metal vaults to explode into the air in Red Bank on Sunday, authorities said.

Red Bank Catholic and St. James schools were closed Monday because of the electrical issues connected to the manhole explosions, according to The Asbury Park Press.

Related story: Explosions Rock Red Bank; 260 Homes Lose Power

The underground explosions prompted officials to evacuate downtown buildings in Red Bank on Sunday, eyewitnesses said on Twitter.

The explosions occurred in two underground vaults that housed electrical transformers, leaving no one injured, authorities said.

No one was injured in the afternoon blasts that were visible in manholes near Peters Place on Broad Street. Police evacuated three downtown buildings, while about 260 homes and businesses nearby lost power, according to NBC4 in New York.

Utility workers couldn’t estimate when power would be restored, according to NBC4.

The explosions happened in areas where Jersey Central Power and Light equipment is stored; police said there was a lot of smoke in the area, but there were no fires, according to NJ.com.

Broad Street was shut down from Monmouth Street to Reckless Place, according to NJ.com.

Other Patch stories:

• Bring In Loose Items, New Jersey Residents: Wind Advisory Issued
• Real Housewives Of New Jersey Star Going To Prison On Monday
• Mendham Teacher, Student Had 3-Day Tryst, Complaint Says
• Judge: Disabled Teen’s Suit Over Six Flags’ Safety Rules Can Proceed