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Manhole Explosions Reported In Cambridge

Fire Breaks Out In Kendall Square

POSTED: 4:18 pm EDT June 13, 2005
UPDATED: 7:24 pm EDT June 13, 2005

Fire officials responded to a number of manhole explosions in Cambridge Monday.

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NewsCenter 5's Rhondella Richardson reported that commuters and business owners were being asked to stay out of the Central Square area after a fire broke out in a manhole near the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Douglas Street.

Witnesses reported hearing popping noises near other manholes in the area. Police closed down several streets in the area, and traffic was at a standstill.

Power has been shut off in Central Square and fire crews were waiting for safety clearance from NStar to go underground to investigate the fire. The power outages caused significant delays on the MBTA Red Line, officials said.

Officials suspect that the heat, humidity and use of extra power contributed to the explosions and fire.

"There's combustible gases that build up. The gas is ignited. It's in a confined space. That causes what appears to be an explosion," one fire official said.

"Thank God no one was hurt. It's scary," one resident said.

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