Another underground explosion and blackout:
Massachusetts
PT: Another underground explosion in NE USA with accompanying power blackout, this time in Natick, Mass., about three hours before Hartford, Conn. blackout.
Holliston teen critically injured by manhole cover
By Kristen Bradley / News Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
NATICK -- A 18-year-old Holliston man was critically injured last night when a manhole exploded on Rte. 135, propelling the cover through the windshield of his father's SUV.
Eric Brack was taken by helicopter to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition, according to a hospital spokesman.
Natick Police are calling it a freak accident, with the car Brack was riding in simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
According to Natick Sgt. Brian Grassey, Brack was a passenger in the Chevrolet Tahoe when the cover on the manhole suddenly blew off and hurtled through the windshield. Brack's jaw and arm were shattered, Grassey said.
Firefighters later found the cover in the back seat of the vehicle.
At the time of the explosion, Grassey said he started receiving calls from residents complaining about power losses.
The MetroWest Medical Center's Natick campus reported power was out there, and people were stuck in an elevator until power returned.
Last night, an NStar spokeswoman said the accident is under investigation but had no immediate answer to what caused the incident.
"There was an explosion of a manhole and it struck a passing car," said Christina McKenna, NStar spokeswoman.
"We don't know why this happened, and we're certainly going to investigate fully. We want to know what happened out there, and we want to know the answers to those critical questions," McKenna said.
Bobby Nickerson was visiting a relative blocks away when he heard what he thought was rapid gunfire.
"It was so loud." It sounded like a bomb had gone off, he said.
McKenna said some sort of power surge or malfunction in the system most likely caused the explosion, but pinpointing the problem won't be an easy task. NStar workers will be at the site of the accident today, McKenna said, continuing their investigation.
No underground work was taking place in the area of Rte. 135, according to Grassey. McKenna said to her knowledge NStar was not conducting any work in the area of Rte. 135 or nearby.
Natick Police and Fire departments closed down the roadway near the manhole until NStar could neutralize the electricity and declare the area safe. The road was reopened for regular traffic about an hour after the 7:20 accident.
McKenna said about 3,000 people were without power for about three hours, with everything restored by 11 last night.
Whether the medical center's power loss and the manhole explosion are related will be part of the investigation, McKenna said.
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(from poster at Final Phase forum)