Manhole Cover Explosions Scare Atlantic City Officials, Residents

The Blast
It began with an ear-shattering blast, a ground-rumbling roar and was followed by an explosion that launched 200-pound manhole covers several feet in the air followed by a lightning-like arc of electricity.

Those were the descriptions given by several witnesses to local media outlets last week in Atlantic City after they experienced one of several manhole cover explosions. Those blasts plagued different areas of the resort city for several days, leaving residents and tourists in fear.

Chief Shaken

Even Atlantic City Fire Chief Dennis Brooks was visibly shaken by a manhole cover explosion that occurred while he was being interviewed by a NBC40 reporter about a different manhole cover blast.

In the blast that started Brooks, a manhole cover exploded and shot 10 feet into the air and was followed by a yellowish-orange arc of electricity.

There were five manhole-cover explosions during the week, occurring at names of streets made famous in the time-honored Monopoly game: California Avenue, St. James Place and a new street, Mr. Luther King Jr. Boulevard, formerly Illinois Avenue.

Officials said the manhole covers that were involved in the explosions had covered electrical equipment.

The Cause
Officials expect that a few days of several heavy rainstorms and the high humidity that has plagued the area all summer long combined to corrode the underground electrical equipment. When that equipment shorted out in a compressed area, the result was an explosion caused by rapidly expanding blast consuming all available oxygen in a small confined space.

Officials Continue to Worry
Officials worry the problem may not be over. That's because this summer's high humidity levels continue to affect the East Coast so the conditions that caused the explosions could reignite at an any time. Though no one was hurt last week, officials fear similar manhole cover explosions could occur on busy streets during the crowded Labor Day weekend. Such a blast could easily kill someone or cause severe injuries.

Sources: Press of Atlantic City, NBC-40, My Fox Philly