Overview

• At 5:20 p.m. on August 1, a manhole on Central Avenue in Bushwick erupted in flames as FDNY was probing elevated carbon monoxide levels, with the incident captured on the Citizen app.
• About two hours later, a second fire broke out at Lewis Avenue and Pulaski Street, mobilizing roughly 60 FDNY and EMS personnel to extinguish the blaze.
• Con Edison crews joined FDNY responders to contain both fires without injuries or property damage, and all hot spots were declared out by the end of the evening.
• The Bushwick incidents follow two manhole fires in East Flatbush last week that knocked out power to five buildings and caused a minor gas leak, and an April explosion in Poughkeepsie.
• Officials have increased real-time monitoring and inspections of New York City’s roughly 350,000 manholes as they investigate recurring cable overheating in the underground network.