Dramatic video shows Brooklyn manhole fires incinerating car after causing building evacuation
Two manhole fires that erupted in Brooklyn sent two people to the hospital and caused hundreds of people to be evacuated from a building Wednesday morning.
The dramatic scene started just before 3:30 a.m. on Humboldt Street in Williamsburg. Video shows firefighters battling the flames shooting up out of the ground, incinerating nearby cars.
The FDNY received a call reporting elevated carbon monoxide levels inside an apartment building caused by the fires. Officials quickly elevated it to two alarm fire with more than 140 first responders heading to the scene.
"From a gas leak to watching a car blow up"
"It's the worst of situations as far as the intersection of gas lines and electric utilities, and so there's a main right underneath it. It's not fed from one direction; it's fed from multiple directions," he said.
FDNY Battalion Chief Barry Legurnic said about 49 apartments were evacuated, so about 200 people. Firefighters rushed door to door, waking up the residents to warn them of the danger.
"They woke us up like they were going to break the door down," Willie Hall said. "Panic. Panic. People were scared. A gas fire. You know, it was terrifying."
"We went from a gas leak to watching a car blow up," Michael Adley said.
"The car was on top of the manhole, and it blow up and I almost dropped to the floor," Hattie Dewgard said. "It was horrifying, all that flame and that fire."
"You're just thinking, are we safe?"
Two people were taken to the hospital to be evaluated for injuries unrelated to the fire. Three MTA buses were helping the evacuated residents stay warm. A warming center was also set up nearby, officials said.
The residents were able to return to their homes at noon, and officials said power was also restored.
The fire is out, but residents are still unable to go back inside. National Grid and Con Edison crews are working to identify the cause.
"Right now, I'm in limbo. I'm trying to get at least two hours of sleep if I can," Hall said.
"Carbon monoxide is a silent killer, so what happens if it happens again?" Betsaiba Lopez said. "You're just thinking, are we safe?"