A series of manhole explosions occurred in Poughkeepsie, New York, just seconds after pedestrians had walked past on April 19.

The local fire department detected elevated carbon monoxide levels in multiple buildings triggering evacuations.

On the afternoon of April 19, a series of manhole explosions shook Academy Street in downtown Poughkeepsie, New York, sending emergency crews rushing to the scene. The explosions occurred between Church and Cannon Streets, with one blast at the corner of Academy and Church narrowly missing three pedestrians. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.

The City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department arrived at 13:34 and detected elevated carbon monoxide levels in multiple buildings. As a precaution, all occupants along the block were evacuated while firefighters worked to ventilate the area and mitigate the gas threat.

By 15:48, fire crews cleared the scene and turned it over to Central Hudson for further investigation and response. Utility crews remain on-site, and Academy Street is expected to stay closed for several hours while safety checks and repairs continue.

Credit: City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department