A manhole cover exploded in New York City’s Time Square on the evening of April 10, 2022. Shortly before 7 p.m.,  people walking in and around the Square took off running after hearing a loud bang/explosion, as reported by CNN. No injuries were reported, according to Boston Globe. The New York City Fire Department said in a statement that firefighters responding to the scene found three manholes on 43rd and 7th, near Hard Rock Cafe, as reported by NBC.  Energy provider Con Edison spokesperson Karl-Erik Stromsta said that the covers were affected by cable failures, which caused the explosions.

The cable failures that Stromasta referenced can be explained by a quick search. Howstuffworks explains that the electrical wires heat up the insulation of the covers. The insulation smolders and catches on fire, releasing gases. As pressure builds up in the manhole, the electrical wires arc similar to a bolt of lightning and ignite the gases, which leads to the reported explosions. In 2017, London experienced the same issue. Steam was seen pouring from an open manhole on Old Street on June 20, 2017. The Met Police then stated that an electrical fire was to blame for the explosion.

However, collaborations have been taking place since 2019 to prevent this issue, specifically in the UK. CNI Guard reported that they have been working with UK engineers and design consultants to make a new system to prevent more manhole explosions, which are reportedly caused by bad weather, road salting, and flooding interacting with aging underground power infrastructures. It can only be hoped that this type of technology will become more mainstream and that these manhole explosions will no longer be an issue.