Harrowing Manhole Explosion Caught On Video In Upstate New York

Someone Had to Be Watching Over Them

Wow! Someone or something had to be watching over a mom and her child in Upstate New York over the weekend after a video surfaced showing them narrowly escaping a manhole explosion in broad daylight.

The viral video, which has been viewed tens of millions of times, was shared by the City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department. In the 14-second video, you see a mom and her child step over a square block on the street moments before the manhole explodes and obliterates the sidewalk they are walking on.

Thankfully, No One Was Injured

According to the City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department, the incident occurred on Saturday afternoon on Academy Street, between Church Street and Cannon Street, in response to a report of a "manhole explosion and possibly injured people."

Thankfully, no one was injured, but as you can see in the video below, the explosion narrowly missed the mom and child, as well as another pedestrian close by, who was getting into their car.

Why Do Manholes Explode?

Sources say that manholes can explode due to a buildup of flammable gases, which are then ignited by a spark from an electrical arc. The pressure from the expanding gas can then force the manhole cover to fly into the air, as seen in the video below.

The Fire Department stated that high levels of carbon monoxide were detected in multiple buildings, and the occupants of all the buildings on that block were evacuated until the gas levels could be mitigated.