Times Square Explosion: Videos, Panicked Reactions, and What’s Really Behind Scary Blast

A huge manhole blast sent crowds running in panic in Times Square on Sunday evening, but no injuries were reported, according to authorities.

The explosion was heard through Midtown at 215 West 43 Street between Times Square and 8th Avenue at 6:45 p.m., according to officials of the New York City Fire Department.

The FDNY responded to the manhole fires after the thunderous explosion echoed through Midtown. As the firefighters inspect surrounding establishments, they found high levels of carbon monoxide in the cellar of 229 West 43rd Street, as per New York Post.

The trapped manhole fires likely generated high volumes of odorless and colorless gas, which can cause mental damage or death.

Before handing the situation over to utility companies at 9 p.m., firefighters were venting and neutralizing the location's cellar and sub-cellar.

Con Edison confirmed a cable failure caused the explosion per CNN report. According to its spokesperson Karl-Erik Stromsta, no customer outages and no property damage were found. But one close resident claimed that the blast shook her 'whole apartment.'

"One manhole exploded in the Times Square area this evening due to cable failure, and a second manhole was smoking," said Stromsta.

People in Panic Caught On Cam

The sounds of the explosion had terrified people in the area. Video shared on social media shows frightened tourists and locals fleeing the scene as they try to figure out what is going on.

Videos of the incident were uploaded on social media, showing pedestrians running through the Crossroads of the World after hearing the big blast.

A young woman films herself as personnel responds to the manhole flames in a video posted to social media. She then hears a boom and starts running. 'What the f***?' What the f*** was that?' she exclaimed.

Earth cam stream also caught the panicking crowd after the huge explosion.

Manhole Fire Numbers Spike

Fox News reported that according to the Mayor's Management report, manhole fires in New York City more than doubled from the fiscal year 2020 to the fiscal year 2021, rising to 6,104 last year.

Fire engineering experts explained manhole fires occur when gas builds up underground and is ignited by an electrical short circuit, sending a blast through the route of least resistance, which is most often a manhole.

The explosion jolted an already anxious population, which has seen crime increase significantly since the outbreak began. Overall crime in the city is up 44.13% year over year, with shooting victims rising by 14.5%.

However, some social media users criticized the crowd's reaction towards the explosion at Times Square, saying that they somewhat overreacted to the blast.

One user explained why the crowd reacted that way: "Pretty sure the last time a bang that loud happened was during 9/11 plus there is a war going on right now. I'd fucking run too," user Ashley tweeted.

Another user seconded the post saying, "That's my thinking too! I live in NY and we all know Times Square is a prime target. They probably thought that Russia hit them. Like Putin hasn't threatened those helping Ukraine."

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New York, Times Square, Explosion