Manhole Explosion Rattles East Side; 3 Injured

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A series of manhole fires led to an explosion that rattled buildings and injured three people Sunday morning in the Sutton Place area, according to officials and video from the scene.

The incident unfolded starting around 4:30 a.m., when the FDNY received a call about smoke and fire coming from multiple manholes on East 56th Street between First and Second avenues, Deputy Assistant Chief John Sarrocco said at a news conference.

Responding crews spotted the fires, searched nearby buildings along East 56th Street and stayed at the scene for about three hours, but "the situation appeared to be under control," Sarrocco said.

Then, around 7:40 a.m., one of the manholes exploded, shaking the windows of neighboring buildings and injuring a paramedic and a Con Edison worker, who were both hospitalized. A third person, a firefighter, was also hospitalized for difficulty breathing.

Manhole Fire outside my window.... #nyc #suttonplace #manhole @abcnews @CBSNews @FoxNews pic.twitter.com/fKaPzWHZB7
— jrsolomon (@jessiica_raee) February 28, 2021

The explosion caused multiple power outages on 56th Street and caused carbon monoxide levels to rise in nearby buildings, Sarrocco said.

The incident was escalated to a second alarm, bringing about 200 firefighters to the scene, who did "extensive searches" of buildings on the block. Civilians who needed electricity for life-support systems were being evaluated by FDNY workers, Sarrocco said.

Shortly before 10 a.m., carbon monoxide levels had dropped, but Con Edison had cut power to all buildings on East 56th Street between First and Second avenues, according to Sarrocco.