New York City fire officials say corrosion in underground electrical cables led to a chain-reaction fire that destroyed two cars near manholes. Nobody was hurt in this rolling explosion
This is not an isolated incident with almost 600 fires caused by corrosion of electrical systems being reported in just February.
According to ConEdison (a major utility company in New York) “There have been 570 manhole incidents between Sunday and 9 a.m. on Friday with 50 in The Bronx, 170 in Manhattan and 350 throughout Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island”
The subterranean blazes, like those reported after the latest storm, are often triggered by salt that leaks into the underground electrical system and corrodes wires, which then ignite
“A lot of times after it snows and the snow melts, salt that is put down onto the sidewalk leaks into our system and can cause fires when it hits our equipment,” said Con Ed spokesman Alfonso Quiroz.
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