Jul 23, 2008 11:07 pm US/Eastern
Manholes Explode During Storms In Taunton
TAUNTON (WBZ) ―
Two manholes in the center of downtown Taunton exploded during extreme weather conditions at the height of the evening rush hour.
Two young men passing by were hit by the back flash. They went to Morton Hospital with minor injuries. A police cruiser was also hit and damaged.
Fire Chief Leman Padelford says it came from the ground where electric lines run under the city.
"All that wiring runs conduit, like pipes, and so when you pressurize the underground wiring under the streets, the smoke's going to travel through those conduits into buildings under the pressure of the fire."
Padelford couldn't say if the pouring rain and lightening had anything to do with the fire. Smoke did travel underground into the nearby Superior Court building.
As crews with Taunton Municipal Light and Power worked on repairs, they shut off power to the downtown area for hours, leaving businesses and homes in the dark. Residents at an elderly public housing complex, some physically disabled, were stuck without air conditioning and elevators.
Clayton Bell couldn't plug in his oxygen machine. "I hope we get some power so I can use it," he said. "I have a hard time breathing."
Power was restored a few hours later, but investigators with the utility still have no word on what caused the explosions.
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