Exploding Manhole Destroys Iraq Vet's SUV

(via Daniel J. Grinkevich's flickr)

Early this morning eight-year Iraq vet Nigel Edinborough moved his 2002 Ford Escape to a new spot on Empire Boulevard in Crown Heights and headed home. And only moments after he walked away the manhole beneath the car went KA-BOOM. By the time he returned to his vehicle it was a smoldering, burned out mess. "It was like back in Iraq," the vet told the Post. Yes, we're in the middle of exploding manhole season, but that doesn't make stories about them any less jaring.

And to make this particular story even crazier, the manhole that blew Edinborough's car away wasn't even the only one that exploded on the block today. According to Con Ed it was one of three!

Manhole covers explode, according to the utility, when salt laid on streets corrodes cables, which can either catch fire or release gas that builds up and sends manhole covers flying.

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By Garth Johnston in News on February 3, 2011 6:13 PM

Comments [rss]

hunter_blatherer

And war vets are the only ones who've morally earned the right to drive these things to begin with.

Rocknrope

What things are you speaking of? Cars? The Ford Escape is a mid-sized SUV at best, similar to a Jeep Liberty. We're not talking about a Humvee here.

robingee

Yeah, my mom has a Ford Escape. It's not large.

NYDirk

How can this happen with the number of manhole inspectors in New York?

Peter Rosa

Given the way Con Ed has performed, what with blackouts and manhole explosions and people getting fried by stray voltage, the time has come when the only reasonable solution is Nationalization without Compensation.