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An underground electrical fire in Long Beach caused manhole covers to be blown into the air and has knocked out power downtown.
At 4:15, the Long Beach Police Department issued an alert warning residents to stay indoors due to falling debris. The warning was issued for an area of downtown within Daisy Avenue to Cedar Avenue and from Ocean Boulevard to 5th Street. About 20 minutes later the police issued another alert saying the fire from an underground electrical vault was no longer a threat to blow the manhole covers into the air, but said 3rd Street from Cedar Avenue and Magnolia Avenue would be closed.
Smoke pours from blown manhole cover in downtown Long Beach http://t.co/LDNaIsi1Fr
— Gregory Yee 余國光 (@GregoryYYee) July 15, 2015
Around 4,000 customers are without power, according to Southern California Edison, in an area of downtown Long Beach reportedly stretching from the aquarium to the marina. The Aquarium of the Pacific says they've closed as a result of the outage. The road closure should affect rush hour traffic, and police are urging drivers to find alternate routes to the 710 freeway.
In May, an underground electrical vault fire in Northridge caused a manhole to fly into the air and cause a car crash that injured three people.
Viewer sent this pic of smoke billowing frm manhole. #LongBeach PD says take shelter! Manhole covers are blowing off! pic.twitter.com/507BSavCqL
— Gadi Schwartz (@GadiNBC) July 15, 2015
#BREAKING: Thousands without power in Long Beach after series of manhole covers blow off http://t.co/DSImONYskW pic.twitter.com/YEIrV62M8d
— KTLA (@KTLA) July 16, 2015
Work crews trying to contain electric fire apparently burning underground in Long Beach.@Sky5Tim pic.twitter.com/0Jdzeh49DP
— Tara Finestone (@tarawallis) July 15, 2015
News chopper 4 overhead #LongBeach after underground fire/explosion causes manhole covers to pop off. pic.twitter.com/D0N5gt7x7R
— Gadi Schwartz (@GadiNBC) July 15, 2015
#ALERT: Street Closures Due to Electrical Fire 3rd Street Between Magnolia Avenue & Cedar Avenue in Long Beach. pic.twitter.com/X3Rw8xJNYt
— FOX 11 Los Angeles (@FOXLA) July 15, 2015
